300,000 KM allocated in Zenica City budget for economic development

ZENICA, (Patria) - City Councilors of Zenica City Council at the 34th session held on Tuesday discussed, among other things, the Draft Work Program of the Zenica City Council for the period from January 1st to December 31st, 2019, the Work Report of the City Council for 2018, the Work Report of the Zenica City Soup Kitchen for 2018, the Report on the implementation of projects for the construction, reconstruction and maintenance of road infrastructure for 2018, and the Report on the implementation of investments in the water sector for 2018.

The Draft Work Program of the Zenica City Council for the period from January 1st to December 31st, 2019 was adopted, followed by the Work Report of the City Council for 2018.

Information on the implementation of the Program of Measures for the Improvement of Agriculture in 2018 in the City of Zenica and Information on the implementation of incentive measures for the improvement of the economy for 2018 were reviewed. Regarding the Program of Measures for the Improvement of Agriculture, the most incentive funds in 2018 were spent on crop and animal production and co-financing of capital investments in agriculture.

City Councilors adopted the Draft Program of Measures for the Improvement of Agriculture for 2019 in the City of Zenica. Funds in the total amount of 650,000 KM are planned in the City of Zenica budget for the implementation of this Program.

With praise for the work of the Service for Economy and Development Management, councilors took note of the Information on the implementation of incentive measures for the improvement of the economy for 2018 and adopted the Draft Program of Measures for the Improvement of the Economy for 2019 in the City of Zenica.

As is known, for the first time in the 2018 budget of the City of Zenica, funds were allocated for incentives in the economic sector. The Program of Measures for the Improvement of the Economy in the past year was developed in accordance with European acts for small and medium-sized enterprises, BFC criteria, as well as agreements with two employers' associations operating in the City of Zenica and in consultation with the Economic Council of the City of Zenica.

For the improvement of the economy in 2019, funds in the amount of 300,000 KM are planned in the City budget, and will be directed towards supporting existing crafts, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, start-up projects, women's entrepreneurship, and the development of youth entrepreneurship. Compared to last year's Program of Measures for the Improvement of the Economy, a novelty is the maximum incentive amount for employment of 3,000 KM per person regardless of their qualifications, as well as the condition that the employed persons were previously registered with the Public Institution Employment Service of Zenica-Doboj Canton - Employment Bureau for at least one day before the public call was announced.

Youth from the City of Zenica who apply for incentive funds will be provided with education in entrepreneurship to enable them to develop their ideas and business plans effectively.

At this session, the Plan for the Maintenance of Road Infrastructure for 2019 and the Plan for Investments in the Water Sector in the City of Zenica for 2019 were adopted.

The plan for investment in road infrastructure includes the implementation of 22 projects, and is mainly based on the expressed priorities of local communities in the City of Zenica, actual needs on the ground, and the urgency of implementation.