USAID Sustainable Local Development Project
Vranje–led Inter-Municipal Cooperation (IMC) Area
Inter-Municipal Cooperation
Area Partners
The IMC area was formed in June 2011. This year the Sustainable Local Development Project (the
Project) began the implementation of the following economic program:
“Invest on Corridor 10”
VRANJE CITY
Population: 87,228
Unemployment: 29%
Economic Base: Textile, furniture
producing, leather and shoe
industry, machine industry
Ruling Coalition: SPS, SNS
Mayor: Zoran Antic
BUJANOVAC
MUNICIPALITY
Population: 43,302
Unemployment: 36%
Economic Base: Agriculture, food
processing, wood processing
Ruling Coalition: Democratic Party
Nagip Arifi, GG ‘Stojanca Arsic,’
DS
Mayor: Nagip Arifi
PRESEVO
MUNICIPALITY
Population: 34,904
Unemployment: 47%
Economic Base: Wood processing
industry
Ruling Coalition: DPA, DUA, GG
’Demokratski preporod’
Mayor: Ragmi Mustafa
VLADICIN HAN
MUNICIPALITY
Population: 23,703
Unemployment: 52%
Economic Base: Fruit
processing,woodprocessing,
production of paper packaging
Ruling Coalition: SNS, SPS, DSS,
URS
Mayor: Branislav Tosic
July 2015
Goal: Create at least 1,500 new jobs in the IMC area through at least five new inflowing investments in
green-or brown-field sites by end of June 2015.
IMC area is characterized by high unemployment and a favorable geographic position (proximity to
important transport Corridor 10). Combined with a history of success in the shoe, textile and
furniture industries (particularly city of Vranje), investment attraction has emerged as the
territory’s priority.
The Project will supply a full range of necessary technical assistance, including consulting on: a)
Work force development and alignment with investor needs; b) Assist in development and
implementation of Corridor 10 Investment Marketing Program; c) Industrial zone and brownfield
development and d) Technical assistance and training on best practices for managing industrial
parks and zones.
Continuing the support for the development of the industrial zone “Bunusevac” in Vranje, the
Project will provide approx. $60,000 for the development of the main technical design for a
transport road and associated infrastructure within locations allocated to key investors – shoe and
furniture manufacturers.
UP-TO-DATE RESULTS
IMC area economic growth activities
 Tailored technical assistance provided, allowing Bujanovac to obtain land for a planned
economic faculty
 Shoe producers improved their production, assortment and marketing and participated at
"GDS” and “Tag It!” international shoe trade fairs
 Detailed Infrastructure Development Designs, as well as Cadaster topographic plan for a new
regional industrial zone “Bunusevac” delivered, enabling further development of the IZ and
attracting new investors
 Expert assistance and on-the-job training provided for preparation of cross-border cooperation
(CBC) projects (Bulgaria-Serbia); $235.000 of EU CBC funds was awarded for improvement of
competitiveness of regional furniture manufacturers
 Regulatory and administrative barriers to business growth in the IMC area analyzed by NALED
and 21 recommendations advanced for improvement; Expert assistance provided to Vladicin
Han to implement recommendations
 Local Economic Development (LED) practitioners learned how to present local potentials and
attract Foreign Direct Investments; retain and grow existing businesses; manage LED; evaluate
potentials of brownfields, prioritize and redevelop these sites
 Investor teasers prepared to assist the public sale of the remaining social enterprises
 Regional Wastewater Treatment System Along the South Morava River: The Project developed
technical documentation for the construction of waste water measuring points at sewer outfalls
and installment of effluent meters in each IMC municipality; 10-year Regional Waste
Management Plan for the Pcinja region was also developed
 Completed and presented public-private partnerships (PPP) toolkits for local infrastructure
development, energy efficiency and parking services; In partnership with NALED, published a
Guide for development of successful PPPs
 Italian shoemaker GEOX and local vocational school sign MoU aligning school curriculum with
private sector needs thus improving students’ skills for the labor market; Published guide to
improve cooperation between vocational schools and private sector
 Three youth teams awarded business start-up grants (€1,200 each) as part of the Projectsupported CSO “Group 484” activities