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Kraljevo Daily Center 23.02.2012.
Within the project Supporting Access to Rights, Employment and Livelihood Enhancement of Refugees and Internally Displaced People in Serbia financed by the European Union and implemented by EPTISA in cooperation with Care International, with the support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, 25 local governments have received a grant of 2.6 million Euros for 28 projects. The city of Kraljevo has received 125.585,36 Euros from this grant for implementation of the project Kraljevo Daily Center. Implementation period of this project is 12 months starting from 6 February 2012.
Overall objective of this project is contribution to solving problems of refugees and IDPs through the establishment of a system of providing efficient and quality care for the elderly, in accordance with modern principles of social care and care for the elderly and other vulnerable citizen groups on the territory of the City of Kraljevo. This project provides for establishment of an efficient and functional centre for additional care for the elderly and other vulnerable categories in need of occasional care, with accent on refugees and IDPs living on the territory of the City of Kraljevo. The Daily Center shall be located in the facilities of the former collective centre in Beranovac, in the so-called Norwegian House, which is expected to start operating and providing services in the beginning of May 2012.
Aiming to improved institutional frame for efficient realization of the City of Kraljevo social policy in the field of protection of the elderly and other vulnerable groups, integration of refugees and IDPs and increased social inclusion in the local environment, IDPs receiving welfare will find employment in the project to the level of at least 20% out of the total number of project employees.
The project is implemented by the City of Kraljevo, in cooperation with the Welfare Center Kraljevo, Gerontology Center Mataruska banja and Citizens Association PRODOR.
The Minister of Health Zoran Stankovic, who was received by the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic in his chamber, visited the city of Kraljevo today.
On a press conference, the Mayor and the Minister introduced the reporters with the phase of construction of the Public Health Institute and with the current situation in healthcare in the Health Center "Studenica".
The Minister of Health Zoran Stankovic said to the reporters that by his decisions he is dismissing Mr. Dragan Arsic, director of the Health Center "Studenica", stating illegitimate expenditure of funds as the basic reason for his dismissal.
"Basic reason for Arsic's dismissal is the illegitimate expenditure of funds, on which there are financial reports and reports of financial inspections of the Republic Fund for Health insurance, and I would not like to go into detail considering it concerns a fact that will be determined by the state authorities. As a replacement for Mr. Arsic, until the competition announcement and selection of a new director, Mr. Zvonko Veselinovic, a surgeon and a non-party person, well-known in this city and with great professional reputation and confidence, shall be appointed acting director", said minister Stankovic.
Responding to a question when the Internist Hospital in Kraljevo will be recovered, Mr. Stankovic said that it depends on the answer of European investment funds, without which help such work cannot be done because we are talking about several million figures.
In continuation of his visit to Kraljevo, the Health Minister visited the Health Center "Studenica" and assured in difficult work conditions in the Surgery Ward where there are department o internal medicine now.
On today's press conference the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubiša Simović with his assistants introduced the reporters and citizens with the 2012 Budget proposal, the investments in the city of Kraljevo, the jubilee awards and with recommendations of the State Auditing Committee. The Mayor of Kraljevo said that the 2012 Budget proposal has been the largest till now and that implementation of large investments that have been planned, of which two the biggest are construction of the Sports Hall in Ribnica and a bridge over the river Ibar in Skopljanska Street with access roads, amount to almost a billion dinars.
Speaking of transfer of finances for jubilee awards in education for 2009 and 2012, of which the biggest part out of 13 million has been transferred to schools, the Mayor said that a request from the Electro-Traffic School is pending in order to pay the remaining 1.5 million.
Recommendations from the State Auditing Committee in the report on auditing of the annual balance sheet for 2012 were also commented on today's press conference and Mr. Simovic said that there are no cases of illegitimate spending in this report, but there are recommendations on what needs to be eliminated in the procedure actions. He emphasized that the biggest objection is that internal audit should be organized and announced that this will be corrected in a very short period of time by employing a person qualified for such jobs.
Traditionally in the organization of the Svebor Association St. Knyaz Lazar, this year also people were swimming in the river Ibar for the honorable cross on the occasion of the big Christian holyday of Epiphany. In the presence of a large number of fellow citizens, there were 33 Kraljevo man swimming for the cross, and the win was taken by a gymnasium student and water polo player Mladen Nikolendzic.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubiša Simović visited the family of Goran Petković, a single father of three minor children, from Gornji Jarčujak today.
Seeing the upsetting story about this family on TV, the Mayor decided to help Miloš, Marko and Darko and bring them presents with sweets, toys, school stationary and a computer, to which Miloš (11) the oldest was most gladden.
And while brothers Marko(5) and Darko (4) with their eldest brother happily browsed through the presents, father Goran told the Mayor his sad life story. They came to Kraljevo in 1999 as refugees from Klina , and several years later his wife Gordana became ill. After a long-lasting disease, his wife died immediately after the earthquake and he is left with three children.
The Mayor, who brought presents and school supplies for the children, said that the New Year had not started happily for this family and that the city is going to do everything it can to help them. Engineers are going to visit the site and do the calculations today and rehabilitation of this house will start as of tomorrow. The Mayor also thanked the neighbors who have helped the family.
On Christmas Day, the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubiša Simović visited mothers who gave birth in the Kraljevo hospital and congratulated them and gave them presents on behalf of the city of Kraljevo. He wished all the happiness in the New 2012 to the young fellow citizens, their parents and all the citizens of Kraljevo.
Danijela Lišanin was the first one today to give birth to a baby girl, Adrijana Matović got a son, Sanja Lacmanović gave birth to a baby girl, Maja Karaičić and Biljana Janić gave birth to baby boys.
Minister of Science and Education Mr. Zarko Obradovic has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for exceptional contribution in recovery of schools damaged by the earthquake of 3 November 2010 in Kraljevo.
This Certificate of Appreciation has been awarded to the Minster Obradovic by Mr. Zarko Milosavljevic , Head of School Administration of Kraljevo at a celebration held in the amphitheatre of the High School of Forestry. Suitable gifts were presented to the minister's assistants by Mr. Milomir Sljivic, president of the City of Kraljevo Assembly and his deputy Mr. Sreten Jovanovic.
On this occasion, students of Kraljevo elementary and high schools performed an artistic program for the minister, his assistants and state secretaries.
Minister Obradovic reminded that app. 150 million dinars have been invested in recovery of about thirty Kraljevo schools and that the biggest part of school buildings was ready to welcome the beginning of the new school year. This first phase of recovery included static strengthening of buildings and bringing them into secure state.
On reporters' question whether arrangement of school is going to be continued, minister Obradovic replied that beginning of new works is uncertain because utilization of EIB loan in the amount of 27 million euro intended for schools has been prolonged. He said that there has been a delay in cooperation with the EIB and that for unknown reasons the Ministry is not allowed to use the allowed funds.
"Explanation is that state of education in Serbia needs to be screened and on that basis define the criteria. Manner they had provided shall definitely last until mid next year and that is not acceptable for us", said Mr. Obradovic. He said that the Ministry had pointed out in a timely manner that the engagement of a foreign consultant from EIB shall certainly prolong the use of the loan.
Minister Obradovic said that these days there have been negotiations with the EIB on a subject to make the loan available and define joined criteria for using it, because the Ministry already possesses data on condition of schools in all regions in Serbia.
"27 million euro is a lot of money for us, but it is a drop in the ocean in regard to our needs. We think that there is absolutely not one reason to prevent us from using the funds", concluded Mr. Zarko Obradović.
He reminded that part of the EIB loan shall be invested in the continuation of reconstruction of Kraljevo schools and resolving accommodation of the Music and Art Schools. "If this money cannot be used, we will do whatever we can from regular budget funds", said Mr. Obradovic.
Training on the theme "Introduction of gender equality in local policies and European Charter on Gender Equality at the Local Level" took place today in the Turist Hotel. Participants were greeted by the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, wishing them successful work.
The training was created and prepared by the Training Center of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SKGO) in cooperation with the Association "Fenomena" from Kraljevo, thanks to the financial support provided by the Kvina till Kvina Fund.
Council for Improvement of Gender Equality of the City of Kraljevo also participated in organization of the training.
SKGO decided on full respect of gender equality principles and support to towns and municipalities in their implementation, respecting in such a way standards and recommendations of the UN, EU, Council of Europe, Organization for European Safety and Cooperation, Assembly of European Regions, local and regional authorities. Moreover, the training promotes good management principles, respect of human rights, acting in compliance with domestic and National Strategy for Improvement of Women Position and Gender Equality.
Purpose of this training is to introduce the relevant actors at the local level with:
- the significance of this subject in the context of community development
- international and domestic standards and the existing legal frame in this field
- the European Charter on Gender Equality and role of the Council for Gender Equality and its implementation and creation of local policy.
Evening of Iran in Kraljevo 2 December, 2011
"In time of Ex-Yugoslavia we were one of the major energy suppliers, continuing the cooperation with Serbia afterwards. We have favorable conditions for supplying oil, gas and petrochemisty", said the Iranian Ambassador Abolghasem Delfi in Kraljevo at the opening of a cultural event "Evening of Iran in Kraljevo".
"During my earlier visits I have discussed with the Mayor about cultural, economic and other kinds of cooperation, when absolute willingness has been stated for discussing mutual strings aiming to cooperation, and especially in the field of energy", said Mr. Delfi.
Apart from the exhibition of handicrafts of this Islamic nation, visitors were able to find out more about the people, as well as about cooperation of Serbia and Iran the Iranian Ambassador was talking about.
Iranian handicrafts are the leading applied art in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Originality and uniqueness of products, use of traditional color palettes, painting technique and the requirement of using original and author patterns are major characteristics of Iranian handicrafts. In the process of creation of products, exclusively used are hand tools and thus, in comparison with other industrial goods in produced in series, these handicrafts require much more effort and time.
The most important and definitely most famous Iranian handicrafts are Iranian rugs and carpets. However, goods made of ceramic, glass, wood, leader and metal do not fall behind, not for their significance not for their beauty.
By laying wreaths beside the monument to the liberators of Kraljevo, marked was 29th November - Day of Liberation of Kraljevo. The wreaths were laid by the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic and his associates, on behalf of the City, representatives of the Serbian Army and Police and representatives of political parties and organizations.
On a ceremony that took place in the City Administration Ceremonial Hall, beside the speech of Sreten Jovanovic, Deputy Assembly President, a short cultural-artistic program was performed with participation of the choir of the Elementary School "IV Kraljevački bataljon" and an actor and manager of the Kraljevo Theatre Vladan Slavković.
After the devastating earthquake in Kraljevo, the Swiss Government has provided support for the reconstruction of the City Administration building in Kraljevo.
His Excellency Swiss Ambassador Erwin Hofer, Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Ms. Beatrice Meyer and director of MSP Consulting Mr. Radomir Milovanovic visited today the building of the City Administration of Kraljevo to see the progress of works on its restoration. After the earthquake, the Government of Switzerland has helped Kraljevo through projects worth 315,000 Swiss francs, or 260,000 euros for the development of technical project and for reconstruction of the City Administration Building.
Swiss Government has been cooperating with the City of Kraljevo for many years. Over the past decade, SDC has financed the implementation of numerous development projects for a total amount of two million francs, or 1.6 million. These projects were included in the MSP Municipal Support Programme, which was located in Kraljevo and worked with six other municipalities. In addition to the Kraljevo, those were the municipalities of Arilje, Cacak, Zlatibor, Lucani, Pozega and Uzice.
The Ambassador of Switzerland, together with representatives of the SDC and the City of Kraljevo, visited two elementary schools (Svetozar Markovic and IV kraljevački bataljon) in Kraljevo that were included in humanitarian projects funded by well-known Swiss firm Geberit. Through this project sanitary facilities in these two primary schools have been renovated.
Representatives of the Wiener Städtische Insurance Company and their manager from Sombor Ms. Biserka Bekvalac handed gifts today to two socially endangered families from Kraljevo. Help had been gathered by the company employees on the initiative of Ms. Biserka Beklvalac. Financial help and gift packages with toiletries and sweets for children was handed today to a family from Samaila which has five children (four of which are minors) and a dingle father with two minor children from Stubal. Priority for receiving this help had been determined by the employees of the Welfare Center from Kraljevo, and gratitude to the donor was expressed in his own name and on behalf of the City of Kraljevo by Mr. Milun Jovanović, mayor assistant for social issues.
On today's press conference, City of Kraljevo Assembly President Mr. Milomir Šljivić introduced the reporters with the decision on postponing elections in Local Communities n the territory of the City of Kraljevo, which were supposed to take place on 20 November 2011. Reason for postponing the elections is the inconsistency of local communities' statute with the Decision on Formation and Determination of Areas of Local Communities on the Territory of the City of Kraljevo, as well as failing to meet all technical requirements intended for elections. A ten-day time period has been given to local communities' councils to perform the obligations for smooth elections.
On today's press conference, Mr. Milomir Šljivić president of the Steering Board of the Fund "Petar Bogavac - Anđelko Savić" introduced the reporters with scholarship competition for students of the city of Kraljevo that was announced today. All interested parties can download the competition and application forms from the web site of the City of Kraljevo or take it in the office 226 of the City Administration building.
Until September next year there will be 20 apartments constructed in Kraljevo for refugees and IDPs, which will close the last of the two remaining collective centers in this city. Contract on apartment construction was signed today in Kraljevo by the UNHCR, the Commissariat for Refugees of Serbia, the City of Kraljevo and the Welfare Center of Kraljevo.
Funds for construction of a residential building in the amount of 360,000 euros are donated by the European Union through its office in Belgrade, and the city of Kraljevo will provide a plot and build the infrastructure. Among these 20 apartments, which will be built in Boracko settlement, four flats will be intended for local vulnerable population.
Head of the UNHCR office for South and Central Serbia based in Kraljevo, Dusko Kunovski, said that the city government and institutions, with the help of the Commissariat for Refugees, made great efforts to close the last collective centers.
"Nest year, the last refugees and IDPs will leave difficult living conditions in collective centers and will move into apartments appropriate for today's standards," said Kunovski".
Representative of the Commissariat for Refugees Draga Trninić reminded that a decade ago there were as much as twenty collective centers in the area of Kraljevo, and she expressed satisfaction that over the next year the last two will also be closed.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic thanked all the donors who have built about 200 apartments for refugees and IDPs over the past ten years.
"Without the help of government and international organizations Kraljevo alone never could have coped with about 20,000 refugees and IDPs who have moved into our city over the past 20 years," said Simovic.
Representatives of IKEA in Serbia have finished the complete equipping of three social apartments in Kraljevo in which young people without parental care from this city will move.
Four young people who spent their childhood in foster homes and orphanages moved into the apartments yesterday. There are another 76 children in Kraljevo in foster homes, orphanages and the Children's Village in care of the Welfare Center, to which these apartments were handed over for use.
IKEA employees were engaged in developing a complete design solution for decoration of the apartments, as well as in providing and assembling the necessary furniture and household products. Furnishing of the apartments is a continuation of a several-months project of total value of 60.000 EUR, which started in April this year when IKEA donated 200 beds for two kindergartens in Kraljevo and 36 sofas for families affected by the earthquake.
During handover of the furnished apartments, Dragan Skalušević, regional director of IKEA, said:
- We tried to primarily understand the needs and wishes of children who will live in the apartments and based on that we designed the ideas of modern Scandinavian style, in order to create an environment where they would feel comfortable and enjoy everyday activities. IKEA will continue to strive through its actions to constantly contribute to better everyday lives of as many people, and we will continue to dedicate great attention to social initiatives for the improvement of living conditions and rights of children and vulnerable groups in Serbia - said Skalušević.
On this occasion, the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic said that the city of Kraljevo very grateful to IKEA for providing assistance yet again. So far, furniture of this Swedish company has brought to children in Kraljevo kindergartens and the ones who suffered damage from the earthquake. Opportunity to continue living in a fully furnished new home will mean a lot for young people leaving social care. The City of Kraljevo will continue to take care of them, but also on other vulnerable populations - said the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic.
Keys to these apartments were handed to the young by the Serbian Government minister Mr. Rasim Ljajic and the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic.
Ljajic said that the Kraljevo is the 16th city where service of a "Halfway House" is being implemented, i.e. supported housing to adult children without parental care until they are fully independent.
Serbia now has between 50 and 60 young people who use this social service.
"The idea is that we enable children leaving orphanages or foster care to become independent as soon as possible by providing them apartments for a period of 15 to 18 months", said Ljajic.
According to him, in this field of social policy reform the most significant step has been made in the last decade.
Ljajic said that eight years ago there were more than 2,000 children in homes, and now there are about 600, with a tendency of further decrease. Also, at the same time there were 1,800 children without parental care in foster homes, and now there are more than 5,000.
Children should grow in the natural environment or kinship, and accommodation in a home or similar institution should only be final necessary measure, said Ljajic.
70 years of the unprecedented mass executions of innocent citizens in the town of Kraljevo was marked today. Commemorative Session of the City of Kraljevo Assembly, which was chaired by the Deputy Chairperson of the City Assembly Sreten Jovanovic, began with a minute of silence in memory of the innocent citizens of Kraljevo.
After the speech the Deputy Chairman of the Assembly a short program was held with participation of a teacher of Music School of Kraljevo "Stevan Mokranjac" - Master Predrag Mihajlovic, who performed the first movement of a cello concerto by Edward Elgar, BiljanaTalic, Kraljevo theater actress, who recited the verses of "The October lament " by a poet and journalist Dusan Stojic, and her work on the theme of "Kraljevo October " was read by Vanja Popovic, a Gymnasium student.
Exactly at 11 a.m. sirens were heard, and laying wreaths on the Kraljevo Memorial Cemetery marked the beginning of the memorial service to the executed victims.
On behalf of the City of Kraljevo a wreath was laid by the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, accompanied Vukman Rakocevic, Deputy Mayor, and Sreten Jovanovic, Vice President of the City of Kraljevo Assembly.
Wreaths were also laid by Miroljub Arandjelovic and survivors of the shooting on behalf of the Serbian Parliament, members of the Parliament Ivan Jovanovic, Jovan Nesovic, Nikola Krpic and Srdjan Spasojevic. Wreaths were also laid by the delegations of the Raska administrative district, the Serbian Army, Police, representatives of the city of Maribor, member of the Parliament Jovan Damjanovic and representatives of associations and political parties from Kraljevo.
After the wreath lying, the memorial service was served for the executed by priests from the Diocese of Zica.
At the end of the memorial service, the Mayor of the City of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic addressed the assembled guests and citizens, emphasizing in his speech that - "Nazism did not arise in the Second World War, but that is a form of eternal evil that persists for centuries next to each of us. Salvation from it cannot be found only in renunciation and rejection, but in the recognition and awareness that every man is different, and rich in that state of his and equally valuable in that wealth. "
Aiming to creation of equal condition for development and advancement of all children, yesterday, on 12 October 2011, starting at 17 pm an activity of giving out school supplies, rucksacks, slippers and other equipment to Roma children and children from socially disadvantaged families within the project "Educational Inclusion of Roma People" was carried out in the kindergarten "Mladost" - Preschool Institution "Olga Jovicic Rita" in Kraljevo. Support for the realization of this project was provided under the project "Delivery of Improved Local Services - DILS", implemented by the RS Government, Ministry of Education and Science, The World Bank / International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD Loan No. 7510 YF.
In presence of their parents, the children received the supplies by Milun Jovanovic, mayor assistant for social affairs, Dobrica Parmak, project coordinator and a representative of the RNGO Cultural Economic Social Society Rom, Zoran Petrovic, educational counselor and representative of the RNVO Hands of Friendship, director of the institution and members of the project implantation team.
The project was developed and implemented by the Department for Project Management and Local Economic Development of the city of Kraljevo, in cooperation with partners in the project Elementary School Dimitrije Tucović, Elementary School Braca Vilotijević, Preschool Institutions OlgaJovicic-Rita and RNVO Hands of Friendship.
European Local Democracy Week is an annual European event on national and local level, organized by local authorities in all member states of the Council of Europe at the same time. The e activities are implemented with purpose of promoting the work of locally elected representatives and the government, on the one side, and advancing citizens' knowledge about the local authorities and encouraging civil participation on the local level, on the other side. It is marked with an idea to point to the significance of respecting the European Local Democracy Charter, which was adopted by all the member states of the Council of Europe on 15 October 1985.
The City of Kraljevo celebrates the European Local Democracy Week from 12 to 17 October, which is organized with a purpose of strengthening the local democracy and civil participation on the local level. Theme of this year's Week is: "Human Rights on Local Level".
Within the European Local Democracy Week, Kraljevo high school students visited the Welfare Center, the Gerontology Center in Mataruska Banja and the Ombudsman's office.
Aim of these visits was to introduce the work and performance of public authorizations of these local institutions responsible to deal with citizens' problems and protect their rights. Their work was presented by the managers and professionals of these institutions and offices. The visits were planned to be interactive, so the students were able to participate actively in discussions and directly ask questions to which they received answers on the spot.
On Monday, 17 October 2011, in the Assembly Hall 2 at 9 am there will be a lecture on local democracy and human rights on the local level. Participants of the lecture are Mirjana Prodanović, manager of the Department for Project Management and Local Economic Development, and Milan Vučetić, MP in the City of Kraljevo Assembly, and student parliaments of Kraljevo high schools.
At the same time, in cooperation with the Historical Archive of the City of Kraljevo, in the hall in front of the Assembly Halls, there will be an exhibition f photographs and photo documentation named "Development of Local Democracy in the City of Kraljevo", which shall be opened until 21 October 2011.
On today's session of the Council for coordination of road traffic safety jobs, presided by the mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, the following conclusions were brought:
- Conclusion on financing and installation of speed bumps in Karadjordjeva Street,
- Conclusion on building a pavement in Cara Dusana Street, in front of the Elementary School Svetozar Markovic,
- Conclusion on financing a project design for technical regulation of traffic in parking zones,
- Conclusion on financing a project task "Introduction of video surveillance".
Beside the report on operation of committees formed for implementation of the council's activities, a latter of the organizer of the "National campaign for children traffic safety and children Olympic games" was also discussed at the meeting.
With a solemn City of Kraljevo Assembly meeting the Day of the City was celebrated on Friday, 7 October, which has been celebrated since 1998.
In the year marked with recovery of consequences of the earthquake, awards and acknowledgments were awarded to individuals and organizations that significantly helped the city.
The awards and acknowledgments were awarded by the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic and President of the City of Kraljevo Assembly Mr. Milomir Sljivic who presided the solemn meeting.
Diploma for a meritorious citizen was awarded to minister Milan Markovic, Government of Serbia coordinator for help to this city in recovery of the earthquake consequences.
Thanking for the acknowledgment, minster Markovic said that huge job had been done with effort of many people. "I experience this as an acknowledgment to thousands of volunteers, donors, the army, the police and everybody in th city who worked on the recovery" said minster Markovic.
The City Assembly also awarded a Diploma for a meritorious citizen posthumously to Kraljevo legendary basketball player Tomislav Andrić - Džigi.
Diplomas for meritorious organization were received by the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Education and Sience, Kraljevo Department for Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia and the "Belgrade" Airport.
Kraljevo October Award was received by poets Dušan Stojić, Miloš Milišić and Ivan Rajović, initiators of a cultural event of Zica Spiritual Assembly "Transfiguration".
As of today, an honorary citizen of Kraljevo is Dr Slobodan Lukic, a surgeon and longtime president of the Water Polo and Swimming club Kraljevo.
Among the guests, present were His Grace Bishop Chrysostom of Zica, Ambassador of Japan Toshio Tsunozaki, CEO of the Nikola Tesla Airport Velimir Radosavljević, president of the municipality of Zvezdara Milan Popović, CEO of the Public Enterprise PTT Traffic "Srbija" Goran Ćirić, Mayor of Maribor Franc Kangler, members of Parliament Ivan Jovanović and Jovan Nešović, Assistant of the Minister for Education and Science Zoran Trninić and many others.
The formal part of the meeting was attended by the Elementary School Kraljevački IV Battalion children's choir and members of the Big Band, the RTS jazz orchestra, and then on the Kraljevo square there was a concert of Dejan Petrovic's Big Band, winner of this year's festival in Guca. At the end of the concert there were fireworks.
School supplies were distributed by Milun Jovanovic, mayor assistant for social affairs, Dobrica Parmak, project coordinator and a representative of the RNGO Cultural Economic Social Society Rom and Zoran Petrovic, counselor in the elementary school "Dimitrije Tucovic" and a representative RNVO Hands of Friendship.
The project was developed and implemented by the Department for Project Management and Local Economic Development of the city of Kraljevo, in cooperation with partners in the project Elementary School Dimitrije Tucović, Elementary School Braca Vilotijević, Preschool Institutions OlgaJovicic-Rita and RNVO Hands of Friendship.
Today, the President of the Republic Commissioner for Refugees Vladimir Cucić and the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubiša Simović signed a cooperation agreement during construction of prefabricated dwellings for 150 IPDs from Kosovo.
Those people are now accommodated in a collective center Tent Settlement at the Old Airport in Kraljevo. Cucić said that the Commissioner has given 25 million for resolution of the housing issue of the families accommodated in the Tent Settlement, as well as that there used to be 11 refuge collective centers in Kraljevo, of which two are still active - the Tent Settlement and the center in Mataruska Banja.
"With construction of these dwellings we are practically closing the last two collective centers with total of 22 families and 150 people", said Cucić. He also said that the families form the Tent Settlement shall be accommodated until spring of the following year the latest, as well as that there will be 15 apartments built for resolution of the housing problem of IDPs from the collective center in Mataruška Banja.
"The Commissioner in cooperation with the city has built over 200 dwellings on the territory of Kraljevo by now, what makes us the essential social constructor", said the President of the Republic Commissioner for Refugees.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubiša Simović said that by building the dwellings for users of collective centers "a full stop is put on something that has been bothering Kraljevo for a number of years".
"Big flow of refugees and IDPs from Kosovo caused many problems in the past two decades because the existing infrastructure could not support it in a proper way and deal with the problem on its own. That is why projects like this one in cooperation with the Commissioner for Refugees and IDPs are special event for Kraljevo", said Simović.
Wreaths lying 27 September 2011
With modest wreaths lying and a short defile of the fire brigade orchestra and members of the Voluntary Fire Department from Kraljevo, in the Milana Toplice Street, next to the building where in 1941 there used to be the headquarters of firefighters of that period, the jubilee of seventy years from the fire brigade orchestra members going to partisans, in the division of Jovo Kursula stationed on the Mountain Goc, was celebrated on Tuesday, 27 September 2011.
For long was this date marked as the Day of Voluntary Fire Associations in the whole of Serbia, and the event itself served as an inspiration for the movie "Orchestra of a youth", which was filmed in Kraljevo in 1984 and directed by Svetislav Pavlović, who together with Jovan Marković wrote the scenario.
On behalf of the town, a wreath was laid by Mr. Milun Jovanović, mayor assistant for social issues.
On the occasion of the ceremony of moving in of the Zivkovic family, which is internally displaced from Kosovo in 1999, Timo Stagelman, regional representative of HELP organization, said that this project was financed by the EU with co-financing from the city of Kraljevo, all within the EU project "Support to refugees and IDPs".
"Construction of five prefabricated houses, forty grants in the form of equipment and materials and twenty-five packages of construction material have been realized within this project" said Stegelman.
He added that through the EU and HELP project "Support to refugees and IDPs" beneficiaries also receive support for initiation of small businesses.
The Head of the Department for Acceptance, Care and Humanitarian Help of the Republic Commissioner for Refugees Ms. Draga Trninic said that there are 20,000 displaced and over 500 refugees from territories of ex SFRY still living in Kraljevo.
"At one moment there were over 20 collective centers in Kraljevo, and thanks to understanding of the City of Kraljevo and motivating donors by the Commissioner, we managed to close these centers so that there are only two remaining now - Tent Settlement and a center in Mataruska Banja, which will suceessfully be closed next year" said Ms. Trninić.
Draga Trninić said that beneficiaries of collective accommodation in the tent settlement and the center in Mataruska Banja will be accommodated through certain projects after the centers have been closed.
Thanks to the EU project "Support to Refugees and IDPs", Boban Dikic from Gotovac near Kraljevo also moved into a new house worth 18,023 euros.
SILVER CALDRON 2011 24 September 2011
On Saturday, the 21st Silver Caldron, commonly known as the Beans Festival, took place on the city square. On behalf of the city, the event was opened by Sreten Jovanovic, Deputy President of the City of Kraljevo Assembly.
This is the first Silver Caldron that was organized by the Tourism Organization of Kraljevo with support of the city. Until this year, the event was organized by the Caterers Association in cooperation with the TOK, but with the death of the Association president, inventor of this event, Mr. Jovic Aleksic, a year ago, the Association retreated from the organization.
All records have been broken - number of teams, number of chefs, but also the attendance thanks to the nice weather. Therefore, 41 teams with 55 registered chefs competed this year, and the participants came from Pehcevo, Macedonia and from another ten cities from Serbia. For the first among the teams there was a team of motorists-bikers from Kraljevo.
Besides the caldrons and pots with beans, there were also an exhibition of beekeepers and books on the city square, and beside the participants defile on the stage, there was also suitable program for several thousand visitors. And all that without any incidents, what the organizer as well as the whole town should be proud of!
Today, the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubiša Simović with his associates received in his office our fellow citizens, volleyball players of the Serbian National Team, gold medal winners at the European Volleyball Championship. The reception was attended by the National Team members - Željko Bulatović, Nikola and Uroš Kovačević, wife and son of Vlado Petković and members of the Volleyball Club Ribnica management.
The Mayor thanked the national team players for winning the gold medal but also for representing their hometown honorably, always mentioning it. For the memory of this event, the mayor presented the golden boys with suitable gifts and a T-shirt with the sign of Kraljevo and a dedication.
The Mayor also presented the gifts to Srećko Lisinac, volleyball player from Kraljevo and junior national team player of Serbia, winner of the bronze medal on the World Junior Volleyball Championship.
Mayor with Red Star basketball players Kraljevo, 17 September 2011
Organized by city and regional Raska-Kosovo Basketball Association, a premiere memorial tournament in the honor of a former player and captain of 'Sloga' Kraljevo Tomislav Džigi Andric took place from Thursday to Saturday in Kraljevo Sports Hall.
Besides the 'Sloga', the Belgrade 'Red Star', 'Borac' from Cacak , 'Radnicki' from Kragujevac, 'Metalac' from valjevo and 'Polet' from Ratina also took part in the tournament.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic visited the players and coaches of the basketball club Red Star. In a brief conversation with them, the mayor thanked them for participating in the tournament and wished them success in the continuation of their sports careers. The Red Star players were interested in the current situation in the city after the earthquake and about the progress of the construction of the sports hall in Kraljevo. After the conversation, the Mayor presented the Red Star players with adequate gifts to commemorate the visit to Kraljevo.
Russia delegation visit Kraljevo, 17 September 2011
Cooperation between the city of Kraljevo and Ivanovo region of Russia has continued with a visit of this city's delegation to Kraljevo.
The guests from Russia were received today by the President of the City of Kraljevo Assembly Milomir Šljivić with his associates. The members of the political business delegation from Russia were led by Alexander Vladimirovich Patelin, MP, member of the Budget Committee and a representative of the Russian-Serbian Home and Skvortsov Vasily Vaveljanovich, President of Opor Russia (support to Russia) Ivanovo Regional Office for SME.
During their visit, the guests from the Ivanovo region, with the host- the President of the City of Kraljevo Assembly Milomir Šljivić, attended the event marking 50 years of departure of the train from Maribor to Kraljevo, participated in a meeting with businessmen from Kraljevo and the surrounding area in the Regional Chamber of Commerce Kraljevo and visited several enterprises from Kraljevo
Laying wreaths at the Memorial Park Kraljevo, 17 September 2011
Laying wreaths at the Memorial Park in Kraljevo, delegations of the cities of Kraljevo and Maribor paid tribute to the victims of Nazi genocide in Kraljevo in World War II. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the city of Kraljevo by the deputy President of the City Assembly Sreten Jovanovic and Branko Kaplarević, and on behalf of Slovenian delegation by the prefect of the municipality of Maribor Starša Bojan Kirbiš and Slobodan Stojanović, Maribor Civil Protection Commander.
On the occasion of marking the half century since the departure of the first "Brotherhood and Unity" train in 1961 about 300 Slovenians from Maribor and other towns from Slovenia came to Kraljevo today. Since mid-September 1961, every year in mid-September, Slovenians who were expelled to Serbia during WWII would arrive to Serbia by that train, and the citizens of Serbia would render a visit the following year. Until 1989, the train was symbolically running from Maribor to Kraljevo in memory of the hospitality that the people of Serbia provided for about 7,500 citizens of Slovenia in September 1941. Many of them are no longer alive, or are elderly. Mainly their descendants and friends of the citizens of Kraljevo have arrived here.
The initiative to recover the memory of the "Brotherhood and Unity" train came from the editor of Radio Maribor Anton Petelinšek, who has been connecting the inhabitants from all parts of former Yugoslavia in his show "Radio Workshop" for years.
The Slovenian delegation is headed by the prefect of the municipality of Maribor Starša Bojan Kirbiš, whose father, as an eleven-year-old boy, was expelled from Maribor into the area of Kraljevo in June 1941, where he and his ten family members spent four years of war.
Honorary patron of the event, whose name, according to organizers, should no longer be associated with the brotherhood and unity but with the friendship for new times, is the Slovenian President Danilo Turk.
In addition to cultural cooperation already achieved, the citizens of Maribor and Kraljevo are also trying to revive economic cooperation; therefore, there were a number of successful entrepreneurs in the Slovenian delegation and who will meet the representatives of the companies from Kraljevo.
The delegation of Maribor was received by the President of the Assembly of the City of Kraljevo Milomir Šljivić and his deputy, Sreten Jovanovic.
After the reception on the city square, cultural program was organized where both Serbian "kolo" and Slovenian polka were danced.
Today's memorial service and laying of wreaths near the monument to Serbian Soldiers in the city center marked the Day of breakthrough of the Salonika front. On behalf of Kraljevo, a wreath was laid by the Mayor Ljubisa Simovic, accompanied by the President of the City of Kraljevo Milomir Sljivic, his deputy Sreten Jovanovic and deputy mayor Vukmani Rakocevic. The wreaths were also laid by representatives of the Association for Preservation of tradition of Serbian liberation wars 'Jovo Kursula', representatives of veteran and community organizations. Memorial service was held by the priests of the Temple of Saint Sava.
- Kraljevo is an example of cooperation of the US Army and Serbian Armed Forces with civilians and an example that armed forces can be very helpful to citizens in hard situations. It is my pleasure that cooperation between the two armies deepens in our city, emphasized Mayor Simovic.
General Ashenhurst emphasized that 35 members of the National Guard together with Serbian soldiers are going to reconstruct the damaged gym of the Elementary School "Svetozar Markovic" next year.
- I am glad that we can help the renewal of Kraljevo after the earthquake. We hope to have the gym renewed by the end of next year so the children can continue to train. I expect that the soldiers who are going to be working on repairs will acquire new friendships with citizens of Kraljevo, said Major General Ashenhurst.
19th sports games of paraplegics and quadriplegics of Serbia started today in Kraljevo. About 200 competitors, members of paraplegics and quadriplegics associations of Serbia, are competing in five disciplines.
Slavoljub Zivic from Kraljevo, one of the 35 patients in this city, says that competitions in darts, chess, table tennis, athletics and throwing disciplines are also organized on the local level. Participants of the State Sports Games of Paraplegics and Quadriplegics Association are best prepared for competition in that way.
Mihajlo Pajevic, vice president of the Organization of Persons with Disabilities of Serbia, thinks it was good that the games are attended by about 200 people who use wheelchairs. It's almost one seventh of the total number of members of the Association of Paraplegics and Quadriplegics.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic, who opened the games, said that it is a real pleasure for Kraljevo to host these games, and pointed out that except for sports and competition, these games are an opportunity for the participants to actively participate in social life.
Some of the best participants in the national games have become top athletes who continued to train and are now successfully represent Serbia at the Paralympics. One of them is Drazenko Mitrovic from Belgrade. So far he has won 12 medals, and given that all conditions for the upcoming competition in London are met, Mitrovic expects new records.State sports games of paraplegics and quadriplegics in Kraljevo end on Friday with announcement of the best competitors.
With the city of Kraljevo, who is the host of these games, organization was helped by the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Government.
"Today we are opening the reconstructed school in our community. It is the most beautiful gift the residents of Vracar gave us. With the reconstructed school building, our students from Vitanovac learned the most important lesson on humanity" said Slavica Stojanovic, Principal of the Elementary School in Vitanovac.
"Immediately after the earthquake in Kraljevo we heard that the school in Vitanovac was banned for the students to stay there. It is our obligation to secure the children of Serbia the best conditions for education. We decided to fix the school building and today we are proud that the children will learn in a new, beautiful, safe school building. I wish the students from Vitanovac, who will start their education in this building, to acquire new knowledge diligently and live happily in the country of Serbia in the future" said Branimir Kuzmanovic, president of the municipality of Vracar, to students in Vitanovac.
"Cooperation between Vracar and Kraljevo grew into friendship, closeness and love" emphasized Ljubisa Simovic, the Mayor of Kraljevo.
"The renewed school building in Vitanovac is a precious gift from the Belgrade municipality of Vracar. On behalf of the City of Belgrade, I wish the children in Vitanovac happy beginning of the school year" said Jovana Mehandzic, member of the City Council of Belgrade.
The students from Vitanovac welcomed the guests from Belgrade and Kraljevo with a performance showing their gratitude for the gift they had received from the municipality of Vracar.
The Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia Zarko Obradovic, the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic and Dragoljub Micunovic MP, have handed the first grade students of the Elementary School Cibukovački partizani in Kraljevo free textbooks provided by the Ministry of Education.
Referring to the first grade students of this school that was damaged during the earthquake, Mr. Obradovic said that 1 September is a great holiday for every family and the entire state since the new school year starts on that day. He said that significant results have been achieved in the field of education, and added that the school year begins without a strike fourth year in a row, that free textbooks are given out for the third time, and that inclusive education has also been implemented. The Minister stressed that 163 schools were repaired in one year, 13 new schools were built in the past three years and six are currently under construction.
According to his estimate, all this indicates that the state has knowingly chosen to devote the education the attention it deserves.
Mr. Obradovic stated the fact that approximately 76,800 free sets have been prepared for the first grade students this year, while there were almost 80,000 three years ago, which is another indication of declining birthrate.
The Mayor of Kraljevo wished the first graders a happy beginning of their schooling and that the school brings them only joy and pleasure in learning and cognition, but above all the most beautiful and best friendships.
Dragoljub Micunovic also addressed the first graders saying that all elementary school children shall receive free textbooks in a year or two.
" If everything goes as planned, all elementary school children shall receive free textbooks in a year or two because the Constitution says that elementary education is free, and not only that, but that excursions and such are also free ", said Micunovic.
The Minister also visited the Gymnasium and the School of Economics in Kraljevo today, whose recovery from the earthquake is to be completed in mid-September, and he put into use in the reconstructed dormitory in Cibukovac, damaged by the earthquake.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic and his colleagues received a delegation of the Serbian Vehicle Importers Association which gathers all eminent world companies.
The Meeting of the Association held earlier this year it was decided that for each car sold during the International Motor Show in Belgrade the Association members make payment to the fund to help the earthquake victims in Kraljevo. 2 million dinars have been gathered in such way. Milos Petrovic, president of the Serbian Vehicle and Spare Parts Importers Association, handed a receipt to the Mayor and said that they had agreed with him and the members of the local government that half of the collected money be donated to Irena Paunovic and the other half for the rehabilitation of kindergarten "Pcelica" in Pljakin sanac.
Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac, the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic ,Chairman of the Board of Air Traffic Control Agency of Serbia and Montenegro Nikola Stankov and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Serbian Army Maj. Gen. Milan Bjelica visited the airport "Morava" in Ladjevci near Kraljevo today, where works on capacity building for civil aviation and its inclusion in the network of airports of the Republic of Serbia are ongoing.
- This project is the biggest infrastructure project that the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia have implemented in the last few decades -emphasized Minister Sutanovac. He highlighted that, with this action, the Ministry and the Army proved not only that they fulfill the mission obligations stipulated by law, but also that they represent improvement for the whole economy of the state and the region.
- The Morava Airport is geographically positioned so that around two million potential passengers live in its wider area. The airport will enable the defense industry factories in the immediate vicinity of the airport export their products. The Army of Serbia still participates in the construction of Kraljevo after the earthquake. Only on the basis of salaries and pensions to current and former members of the Army in Kraljevo 855 million dinars are paid annually, which is also a great profit for the city. With the new law, the city shall receive certain funds that are now bigger than before. It is important to note that the Army of Serbia is an important factor of economic stability of developing municipalities and cities across Serbia - said Minister Sutanovac.
After the Belgrade and Nis airports, the Morava Airport shall be the third airport in Serbia with international features. The Minister announced that smaller aircrafts up to 100 seats will be able to take off as soon as October, and that the airport will be able to operate charter flights from the following spring and it will start to make profit.
Mr. Sutanovac visited works on the airport where construction of the terminal, the control tower, the technical-economic block and the arranged runway are coming to completion.
- This is the first phase of construction of the civil airport 'Morava', and the second phase shall begin next year, after which this airport shall become a modern airport for international flights - said Mr. Sutanovac.
Value of the project is 32 million euros. The project was supported by the Government of the Republic of Turkey with 10 million euros, i.e. their Ministry of Defense. Currently, we are looking for a way that money is going to be marketed. On this occasion, minister Sutanovac thanked the Ministry of Economy that donated funds in the amount of 2 million euros, the local self-government, the Flight Control Agency of Serbia and Montenegro, which helped the control tower construction project with 3.5 million euros, as well as the representatives of the Nikola Tesla Airport, which has been helping both financially and through technical assistance and equipment with 2 million euros.
Speaking to the reporters, Nikola Stankov, the president of the Steering Board of the Flight Control Agency of Serbia and Montenegro, emphasized that they have been investing in the latest equipment currently available on the world market.
- From the total investment, 2.1 million euros shall be spent for construction of the flight control building. It will completely meet the legal requirements for good work environment. We shall also buy the latest devices and systems in the value of 1.5 million euros. As far as flight controllers, the Morava Airport has been open for the army needs and it has completely functional organization structure and we secure the flying. Engagement and recruitment of new people in the flight control is going regularly. Currently, there are app. 25 engineers from electrical and traffic profession and 15 experienced technicians - added Mr. Stankov.
Velimir Radosavljevic, the Director of the Nikola Tesla Airport, said that after the completion of the first phase of works, app. 50 new workplaces will be opened, and after the completion of the second phase there will be additional 150 workplaces.
- We have already secured money for the first phase of works - that is a sum of 2 million euros that we donated last year. We shall borrow all the equipment for counter-diversion control, for technical maintenance of maneuver areas and for airplane acceptance. Parallel with these works, we shall train the citizens of Kraljevo and this region to work on the Morava Airport - concluded Mr. Radosavljevic.
According to the words of the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, the Morava Airport shall be of greatest importance not only for civil, but for cargo traffic also.
- This area can significantly raise its economic resources in the field of processing industry and agriculture, so the airport shall be very useful. The local self-government shall still participate in this project through the process of buying up land and construction of a local road that will connect the airport to the main road - emphasized Mr. Simovic.
A reception desk of the Republic Geodetic Authority, within the Department of Real Estate Cadastre Kraljevo, was opened today in Usce.
Admissions Office is located at the premises of the local community, within the Cultural Centre "Studenica" Usce. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the administrative district of Raska, Ljubisa Simovic the Mayor of the City of Kraljevo, director of the Republic Geodetic Authority Nenad Tesla with his assistants and associates, the head of Kraljevo Service for Real Estate Cadastre and others.
Opening this reception desk on the territory of the city of Kraljevo and improving services provided to citizens gravitating towards the settlement of Usce, a successful cooperation between the Republic Geodetic Authority and the City of Kraljevo continues.
Citizens can have access to the real estate cadastre data for the territory of the Local Community of Usce. Data on ownership and other real rights on immovable property, the digital cadastral map and the address register shall be available to them. In addition, they can submit a request for issuance of information from the official records: copy of immovable property, copies of cadastral plot plan, certificate of property, street name and house number, outstanding applications for the implementation of changes to real estate and the history of changes to real estate.
The requested documents shall be retrieved at the same desk acting upon a request.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic with members of the core leadership of the city visited the Sports Hall construction site today. On the sports hall construction site in Ribnica, which construction began 25 days ago, excavation works have finished, the installation of hydro insulation is in progress and the first phase of foundation plate construction has began.
This investment is worth 620 million dinars and with shares of 50 percent it is financed from the city and the national budget within the Construction Industry Help Program.
The contractor is a consortium of construction companies led by the company "Amiga" Kraljevo and consisting of another two companies from Kraljevo and two companies from Belgrade.
Director of the "Amiga" Miroslav Tlacinac says that, based on the dynamics of contracting of works and provision of funds, he is convinced that the one-year deadline for completion of construction will be met.
"Citizens of Kraljevo have been waiting for a Sports hall for 40 years and we will do our best to do this job properly," said Tlacinac to journalists.
The hall will have a gross area about 9,800 square meters; the fixed bleachers will have room for 3,000 spectators, and there will be space for another 500 on the mounting bleachers. The director of "Yu-Keops" Milan Mirkovic, whose company has been mostly engaged in this phase of works, says that in the foundation counter-plate 250 tons of reinforcement and 2,000 cubic meters of concrete shall be embedded.
"Given that the sports hall is being built on the bank of the Ibar River and ground waters are high, we are installing the most serious waterproofing, as if we were making a swimming pool," emphasized Mirkovic.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic said that he believes that as early as this time next year the citizens of Kraljevo are going to have a proper sports hall deserved by several first-league city clubs and their fans.
As of today, the company for Electricity Distribution "Elektrosrbija" Kraljevo owns the most advanced mobile three-part transformation station which can take over power supply on three voltage levels wherever it is necessary because of damage, reconstruction or other works.
The manufacturer of this electro-energetic plant is the company "Siemens", and official transfer and public presentation of the technology, which is said to be unique in the Balkans, was done today.
The mobile transformation station will be mainly engaged in "Elektrodistribucija" Kraljevo, where two plants shall undertake the power supply of 35 kilovolts from the transformation station "Ribnica", which must be demolished due to damages from the earthquake.
The third plant of 10 kV voltage level will be used in Kraljevo during replacement of four smaller transformation stations, also damaged in the earthquake, and then will be deployed wherever needed.
Director of the Public Enterprise "Elektrosrbija" Slobodan Mihajlovic said that thepreconditions for the demolition of the old transformation station "Ribnica" and construction of a new one with power supply of 110 kilovolt have been created, and it has been applied for a loan with the World Bank.
"We will have a new transformation station in two years the latest. This old one was supplying power to the city center, the settlements of Ribnica and Kovaci, i.e. 10,000 consumers. Without the mobile transformation station, all of them would have unstable power supply during the construction," said Mihajlovic.
He says that the value of the mobile transformation station is 800,000 euros and that the funds have been provided by the company "Elektrosrbija".
The Director of "Siemens" in Serbia Dusan Muskatirovic said that this mobile unit consists of three plants and that in regard to that is unique.
"The area covered by the "Elektrosrbija" is complex because it is large; it extends from Srem to Kopaonik, with a different population density. Therefore, we have made a flexible transformation station with three voltage levels," said Muskatirovic.
According to him, the transformation station, either whole or in parts, can be assembled in about fifteen minutes, all the technology is in containers, so the mobility depends only on the length of drive to a place.
Director of "Elektrodistribucija" Kraljevo Ljubinko Pesovic says that the danger of the most densely populated part of Kraljevo remaining without electricity due to collapse of the existing transformation station "Ribnica" has been removed.
The Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simovic expressed his pleasure that doors are opening for construction of a new substation in Ribnica, a neighborhood where most of the major investments in Kraljevo this have been implemented this year and which need for reliable power supply are increasing.
The company "Elektrosrbija" based in Kraljevo supplies electricity to about 890,000 customers in 12 districts of western and central Serbia.
The award that includes a unique gold-seal charter and an icon of Transfiguration was awarded to a poet Ivan Negrisoraca by the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic in the presence of the Minister of Culture, Media and Information Society Mr. Predrag Markovic.
Ivan Negrisoraca was born in 1956 in Trstenk under the poetic pseudonym of Dragan Stanic. He is a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad and an editor of Matica Srpska Chronicle, and he has published several books of poems translated into six languages. Apart from poetry, he also writes prose, dramas, and he is also engaged in criticism and literary-scientific work.
Today, works on recovery of collective housing buildings in Kraljevo were visited by the Minister for Human and Minority Rights, State Administration and Local Self-Government Mr. Milan markovic anf the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic. They visited the works on the buildings in Jug Bogdanova and Karadjordjeva Street.
According to the Minister and the Mayor's words, all the works and payment of compensations to the citizens for recovery of damages caused by the last November's earthquake are going according to plan. Therefore, deadline set by the Government of Serbia, Minster Markovic and the Mayor Simovic for completion of works, which is 1 October, shall be respected.
Today, a regional meeting of teams for coordination of cooperation and solid communal waste management took place in the City Hall of the city of Kraljevo. This is the first work meeting of the formed teams after the conclusion of the Waste Management Cooperation Agreement. Purpose of the meeting was that the operation teams define a conclusion on construction of the terms of reference of the feasibility study for selection of the best option of a waste management plant in the region, formed by the Cooperation Agreement.
The meeting was chaired by the Mayor of Kraljevo, Ljubisa Simovic, in presence of the team members from the surrounding cities and municipalities and representatives of 'Elektroprivrede' who shall be partners in this project.
The new law anticipates for the first time a liability of the local self-government to form own strategy of traffic safety and an annual plan of traffic safety, provided that these documents must be in compliance with the National Strategy and the National Traffic Safety Plan. This is a very important provision and its purpose is to create conditions for strategic traffic safety management on the whole territory of the Republic.
To manage traffic safety means to monitor the existing state, define the wanted state, define and implement management measures aiming to bring the existing state closer to the wanted one. Thus, monitoring of the existing state is basically traffic safety management.
According to the new Law, the local community shall be liable to deliver all the data to the Agency useful for the traffic safety, in a manner prescribed by the Agency, i.e. another competent authority.
It is especially important that the new Law has defined reliable financing sources on the state and the local level. Besides the budget, the most significant financing sources shall be collected fines for violation of road traffic safety regulations. This is in accordance with a modern approach according to which "the traffic safety is financed by the unsafe".
Local self-government units are obligated to secure traffic safety financing on the local level.
Considering that the local self-government shall mostly rely on funds from money fines and that this shall be the most important source of financing, the new Law has also quite precisely determined the allocation of this part of funds.
Namely, the Law sets forth that 70% of the funds from money fines belongs to the budget of the Republic, and 30% to the budget of the local self-government on which territory the violation had been done.
Very important is the final paragraph of Article 19, which clearly defines that the aforementioned funds shall be used only "according to the program brought by the competent executive authority of the local self-government unit, on proposal of the coordination body". In this way, designated expenditure of funds is secured on all levels.
Council for Road Traffic Safety Jobs Coordination (hereinafter Council) in Kraljevo started working in March 2011. During its operation, the Council has brought:
Rules on the Council Operation,
- Program proposal for the use of budget funds for the traffic of the city of Kraljevo and
- proposal of the Annual Plan of traffic safety on the roads of the territory of the city of Kraljevo
Program for the use of budget funds for the traffic of the city of Kraljevo for 2011, adopted by the City Council of Kraljevo, identifies the following fields of the Council operation:
Advancement of traffic infrastructure on the territory of the city of Kraljevo
Advancement of traffic education on the territory of the city of Kraljevo
Preventive-promotional activities in the field of safety traffic in the city of Kraljevo
Scientific-research work in the field of traffic safety
Operation of the Council for traffic safety and equipping organs in charge of traffic safety
Activities that have started during the Council's operation are:
Study drafting on children safety in traffic and school areas
Equipping organs in charge of traffic safety with specific technical equipment
Realization of several campaigns on traffic safety
Recovery of dangerous road and street sections on the territory of the city of Kraljevo
Participation in the national campaign on children safety in traffic 'Children' Olympic Games'.
After the press conference, the Council members distributed promotional material to drivers on one of the busiest crossroads in the city, the one by the Auto-Moto Association of Serbia.
On today's press conference the Mayor of Kraljevo Ljubisa Simvic introduced the reporters with the current results, but also with the continuance of the action for fundraising for our two fellow citizens who need operations abroad.
Namely, Mirjana Erceg Mihajlovic, mother of four-year-old twins Velja and Vule, suffering from very heavy disease - acute leukemia, needs 180,000 euro for complete treatment, what Mirjana and her family cannot pay.
Irena Paunovic, whose left lung was removed when she was eight, is suffering from lung fibrosis since birth. Her right lung was damaged five years ago and she has been living in her room since then not being able to make two steps without being connected to oxygen devices. For urgent transplantation in Vienna she needs to provide 120,000 euro.
According to the Mayor's words, Serbs are well known for putting health on the first place in their wishes and that now is the moment to help Irena achieve it. The Local Self-government has organized a donor gathering for Tuesday at the Tourist Hotel, inviting almost 200 representatives of many institutions, banks, companies, institutions ... showing their care for their fellow citizens.
On today's press conference, the Deputy mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Vukman Rakocevic and the Mayor Assistant Mr. Vukomir Mitrovic presented the journalists and the citizens with a donation sent by the company Nikola Tesla Airport from Belgrade.
On proposal of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, management of Nikola Tesla Airport brought a decision to send help in the amount of 50 million dinars to the city of Kraljevo for rehabilitation of consequences of the November earthquake. This is not the first time the airport employees are helping because just a couple of days after the earthquake they sent one and a half million dinars to the city's account as first aid for recovery.
The Deputy Mayor and the Mayor Assistant also introduced the reporters to donations announced from the Serbian Railways, a private firm from Raska and the Serbian Chamber of Engineers. According to them, this is a good sign because we can see that interest to help Kraljevo continues even ten months after the earthquake.
Concert of friendly support to the citizens of Kraljevo, hit by the earthquake, has been held by the young from Russia. Members of the folklore section of the Cultural-Artistic Association "Golden Gate" from Moscow, under direction of Natalija Artjomova-Viktornova, have presented themselves to the citizens of Kraljevo with a combination of songs (Russian traditional, spiritual and Serbian) and dances. They are students of an art school in Moscow and participants of many local and international competitions and festivals. They have received numerous awards and winners of the international competition "Moscow-friends meeting".
Members of the Cultural-Artistic Association were participants of the den-day 2nd International Youth Educational Camp "Sabor 2011", which took place in Junakovic Spa near Apatin this year and which was organized by the Serbian Lands War Veterans Association "Patriotic Front" and the Youth Movement Backa Palanka.
On the occasion of the concert, the representatives of the Russian visitors were received today by Mr. Sreten Jovanovic, Deputy Chairperson of the City of Kraljevo Assembly and Mr. Branko Kaplarevic, Mayor Assistant. They thanked the guests and emphasized that culture and sports have always been on the first place when establishing contacts between the two countries, followed by cooperation on all other levels.
Hosts and organizers of the concert in Kraljevo are the City of Kraljevo and the Cultural Center 'Ribnica'.
Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic said that all the schools damaged in the earthquake shall be ready to accept students by September 1.
Value of the works is 2 million dinars, and funds have been granted by the "Postanska stedionica" through the Government of Serbia.
Of 13 elementary and high schools in Kraljevo for which recovery projects have been done, works have started in the elementary school "Vuk Karadzic" funds for which have been secured from the SOS Children's Village donation.
Minister Obradovic expressed his belief that besides delays schools shall be seismically secure to accept students from September 1.
Minister Milan Markovic repeated that recovery of residential buildings damaged in the earthquake, which the Government charged him with, is being implemented according to plans and that it shall be finished by October 1.
He said that almost 500 prefabricated houses have been built, and payment of financial help for recovery of app. 15,000 houses and 27 other buildings is running smoothly.
Today, in Kraljevo, agreements were signed on co-financing of the Project for construction of recycling centers for separation and temporary storage of recycling materials and special kinds of waste.
The Agreements were signed by the Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning Mr. Oliver Dulic and the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, and representatives of municipalities and directors of public utility enterprises from about twenty municipalities of Serbia.
After that, the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia Mr. Mirko Cvetkovic, Minister Dulic, Minister for Human and Minority Rights, State Administration and Local Self-government Mr. Milan Markovic and the Mayor of Kraljevo Mr. Ljubisa Simovic visited the Radosavljevic family in Ribnica, for which a prefabricate house was constructed since the old one was destroyed in the earthquake of 3 November last year. During his visit to the Radosavljevic family, Mr. Cvetkovic emphasized that more than 400 prefabricated houses have been built already, and about 100 are still to be completed. He emphasized that the overall activity on recovery of consequences from the earthquake was done transparently, without any affair or problem.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the Government was particularly active after its reconstruction and that in the last three to four months more than 850 million dinars have been paid for help to Kraljevo, of which 190 being paid only today.
According to his words, the funds shall most probably exceed the figure of 2 billion dinars. "These experiences show that even in the biggest crises, when natural disasters hit us, we can be solidary, including the Government, companies and individuals".
Minister Milan Markovic stated that about 15,000 structures are being recovered in Kraljevo and it is expected that the recovery of houses will be completed until 1 October and all compensations paid to the citizens for help and construction material and 27 residential buildings be recovered. Mr. Marković, who is the coordinator of the Government of Serbia for help for Kraljevo in recovery of consequences of the earthquake, indicated that about 80,000 citizens were hit by the earthquake. The Minister reminded that apart from the demolished houses in which place prefabricated houses are being built, there are another five categories of damaged structured and money has been secured for all of them as help to citizens for recovery of consequences of the earthquake and for construction material.
He stated that there were app. 7,000 damaged flats during the earthquake and that at this moment seven residential buildings are being repaired, and works on another 27 residential buildings are planned to be completed until 1 October.
According to his words, a loan of app. 18 million Euros are expected to be allowed from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) which would be used for construction of 24 new buildings replacing buildings planned to be demolished. "We are near the end of a huge job that should help the citizens of Kraljevo and reminds you that app. 80,000 citizens were hit by the earthquake. We expect to draw a line that until 1 October and say that we have successfully recovered the consequences of the natural disaster ", concluded the minister.
After this visit, the Prime Minister with the ministers and the Mayor laid the foundation stone for the new sports hall in Dusana Popovica Street in Ribnica. The sports hall shall be built from funds of the Government construction industry support program in conditions of the world economic crisis. The Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning indicated that 18 billion dinars have been allocated for completion of public structures in Serbia, such as sports halls, stadiums and swimming pools. According to his words and thanks to the Government measures construction sector in Serbia, which was deteriorating, was saved.
Deadline for completion of the sports hall in Kraljevo is 8 July next year. 520 million dinars will be invested in that project, of which 450 million this year, where half of the funds are secured by the city and the other half by the state. Upon completion, the hall is supposed to have 3,300 seats and area of 7,500 meters squared.
The contractors are companies from kraljevo - Amiga, YU Keops,and Valve Profil, and the completion deadline is July 2011.
Wreaths were laid by Mr. Sreten Jovanovic, Deputy Chairperson of the Kraljevo City Assembly and Mr. Milun Jovanovic, Mayor Assistant for Social Issues, representatives of the Socialist Party of Serbia and descendants of the fallen heroes.
70 years ago, Zikica Jovanovic Spanac, a fighter of the local partisan detachment, started armed struggle lead by the Communist party of Yugoslavia, and that event was later accepted as a beginning of uprising in Serbia.
On 7 July 1941, on local traditional village fair of Ivanjdan (St. John) in Bela Crkva, Jovanovic killed two members of gendarmerie - Milenko brakovic and Bogdan Loncar, who had been a refugee from the Independent State of Croatia of that time. The Central Committee Politburo of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia had previously brought a decision on armed resistance against German occupiers on 4 July 1941 in Belgrade.
Certain historians think that the uprising day should be 28 September because on that day in 1941 the first town in occupied Serbia, the town of Gornji Milanovac, was jointly liberated by Chetniks and Partisans.
Until the 2000, the Uprising Day was celebrated as state holiday, but its celebration was abrogated in the following year when Act on State and other Holidays was brought.
Today, in the Health Center Studenica in Kraljevo, the Ambassador of Japan to Serbia, Toshio Tsunozaki and the Minister of Health, Prof. Dr Zoran Stankovic, in presence of the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic and Prof. Dr Zoran Rakocevic, put into operation a digital mammogram for breast examination.
With it, the first of 39 centers in Serbia for early breast cancer detection opened, for which furnishing funds in the amount of 5.8 million euro have been provided by the Government of Japan.
With the Japanese Government project "Improvement of screening and breast cancer prevention in Serbia" two digital mammograms have been purchased in installed in Kraljevo and Valjevo, then 30 analog mammograms with supporting equipment and the missing equipment for completion of centers in several more health institutions.
Value of the mammogram and the equipment received by the Health Center Studenica is 147,000 euro. The Ambassador Tsunozaki said that a fact that breast cancer death rate in Serbia is high has been the motif for this donation.
"We hope that the donated devices will help with early breast cancer detection and therefore decrease the number of fatal outcomes", said the Japanese diplomat.
There are 4,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Serbia each year, and approximately 1,500 women die from this disease annually. If malignant change is detected while it is smaller than one centimeter, possibility of healing is 97percent. The Minister Stankovic emphasized that modern mammography equipment shall enable early cancer detection and saving lives.
On today's regular session of the Kraljevo City Assembly, chaired by the Assembly Chairperson, Mr. Milomir Sljivic, apart from the agenda items, the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, filed a report on revenues and expenditures of the subaccount of the city of Kraljevo - funds for natural disasters - earthquake 2010 for the period from 3 November 201 to 4 July 2011.
Today, in Kraljevo, in presence of the Minister of Education and Science, Mr. Zarko Obradovic, and the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, an agreement was signed with which the German Hermann Gmeiner Fund, through the SOS Children's Villages organization, donated 70,450 Euros for recovery of damages from the earthquake on the Primary School Vuk Karadzic in our town.
Works on recovery of this school, which has 1,200 students in 50 classes, shall start on 18 July 2011.
With the donation of the German Hermann Gmeiner Fund shall be used for renewal of the Primary School Vuk Karadzic, which is attended by the SOS Children's Village users.
Talking about successes of school administrations in Serbia, the Minister of Education placed the school administration of Kraljevo among three best in Serbia. "School administrations of Kraljevo together with school administrations in Belgrade and Novi Pazar are the best three school administrations in Serbia" said Zarko Obradovic.
Works on recovery of most primary and secondary schools in Kraljevo with funds from the Ministry of Education have not started yet, but Minister Obradovic expressed his belief that all the schools shall be recovered by 1 September, because as he said, everything is running according to planned dynamics.
The Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, thanked the donors from Germany, assessing that what is most important after the recovery of residential buildings is recovery of school buildings.
Simovic reminded that the Government had found funds for recovery of schools that are sufficient for constructive recovery of schools and expressed his expectation that classes shall also start in regular conditions on 1 September for the students of Kraljevo as well.
Sports-tourism event "Happy Regatta", which was held for the 22nd time on the river Ibar, gathered a large number of participants from Kraljevo and the surrounding towns, then from Knjazevac, Paracin, Belgrade, Valjevo, guests from Slovenia, Montenegro and Republic of Srpska.
Despite the rain that was pouring the whole night before the regatta, the high level of the river and the chilly weather, Serbian "craziest party on water" justified its epithet.
When the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, "captain" of the oldest, most attractive and most popular regatta in Serbia, gave mark for the start, the atmosphere reached its peak.
They descended on boats and improvised rafts down the 27 kilometer long Ibar valley, from the medieval town of Maglic to Kraljevo, with stops in Bogutovac and Maratuska Spa, where army beans was served.
The atmosphere on almost every boat was jolly, and also on the coast where several thousands of viewers were watching the regatta from, and who were also well organized so this day could be interesting and jolly.
Ticket for the "Happy Regatta" costs 200 dinars and for that money the participants get transport of their raft from Kraljevo to Maglic, insurance and a portion of beans in Maratuska Spa. The organizer of the event is traditionally the Kayak Club Ibar, with help of the City of Kraljevo.
This year, president of the Organization Board is Minister Milan Markovic, coordinator of the Government of Serbia for help for Kraljevo in recovery of consequences of the earthquake, and captain of the "Happy Regatta" shall be the Mayor, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic.
The Mayor of the city of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, with the managers of the city has received the delegation from the Polish city of Zielona Gora, which is in seven-day visit to the city of Kraljevo.
The delegation of about 50 members consists of boys and girls born in 1995, 1996 and 1997 who practice volleyball, with their coaches and the representative of the city of Zielona Gora.
They are accommodated in the High Schools Dormitory in Kraljevo. With peers from Kraljevo, young volleyball players, they play matches and visit Kraljevo and the surrounding.
These mutual visits strengthen traditional friendly relations of the two cities, and sports competitions are only one kind of a long lasting successful cooperation between Kraljevo and Zielona Gora.
With the city of Kraljevo, the Citizens' Association "Friendship for New Times" from Kraljevo also has big merits for continuation of the cooperation.
13th International Humanitarian-Memorial Piece Marathon started on 28 Jun 2011 from Novi Sad from the Freedom Square. It runs through many cities and finishes in Thessaloniki on the Serbian Military Cemetery Zejtinlik.
Each run meter is a unique message of peace and at the same time respect of all our ancestors who gave their life so that we could live in freedom. This year, participants come from Bulgaria, Greece, FYRO Macedonia, Republic of Srpska and from our country.
General sponsors are: Republic of Serbia - Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Serbian Army and Air Force Command and Air Defense Zemun - Army Post 1094 Belgrade, Republic of Serbia - Ministry of Youth and Sports, City of Belgrade - Secretariat for Sports and Youth and Municipal Assemblies of New Belgrade and Zemun. Sponbsors are also City Assemblies of Novi Sad, Belgrade, Smederevo, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Nis, Leskovac and Municipal Assemblies of Irig, Stara Pazova, Raca Kragujevacka, Varvarin, Aleksinac, Surdulica and Vladičin Han.
This year's Peace Marathon is run by 15 participants with the slogan "Let's run for peace on the Balkans, for the schools of Kraljevo, for happy children's smiles".
"Aim of this traditional marathon is to connect people and places. We carry a message of peace and good neighborly relations between the countries the participants come from. Our wish is that people from all the surrounding countries participate in future runs", emphasized Milija Acimovic, director of the Peace Marathon and president of the Athletics Club Peace Marathon - Vidovdan 99".
Participants of the Marathon arrived to Kraljevo today and with the Deputy Mayor, Mr. Vukman Rakocevic, laid a wreath on the monument to a Serbian soldier on the central square in Kraljevo.
After that, the participants were received in the City Administration building by the Mayor Assistant for Sports and Youth, Mr. Bojan Radibratović , who wished them successful marathon with hope that next year it will be more massive.
On behalf of the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Army, a wreath was laid on the memorial by Mr. Sutanovac and the Head of General Staff of the Serbian Army, general Mr. Miloje Miletic, the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, with the management of the city of Kraljevo in which delegation there were the Chairman of the City Assembly, Mr. Milomir Sljivic, his deputy, Mr. Sreten Jovanovic and Deputy Mayor, Mr. Vukman Rakocevic, families of the deceased and members of several associations of war participants from 1991 to 1999.
After paying tribute to the killed, Mr. Sutanovac said to reporters that this monument is supposed to send a message to politicians in Serbia that decisions they make in the future should be directed towards piece and life.
- Serbia wants to build good life with its neighbors, but it wasn't always like that and monuments like this one should remind us that politics that brought to victims should never ever happen again - emphasized Mr. Sutanovac.
The monument was made on the idea academic painter Slobodan Marinkovic and there are engraved names of the diseased soldiers.
In continuation of his visit, Minister Sutanovac, General Miletic and the Mayor of Kraljevo, Ljubisa Simovic, visited the renovated garrison infirmary, which provides care for 9,300 military insurants, and which was heavily damaged in the earthquake and for which recovery and purchase of new equipment cost 300 million dinars.
The Minister of Defense stated that funds for its recovery were allocated from the military budget. "The infirmary was not built with an special funds, but exactly from our budget which we try to restructure contributing more to quality and cutting irrelevant costs as the money wouldn't 'run away' from the budget", said Sutanovac.
At the end of the visit to Kraljevo, the Minister of Defense and the Mayor of Kraljevo visited Irena Paunovic, resident of Kraljevo, who needs lung transplantation and for whose operation and treatment in Austria 120,000 euro are needed.
As he said, with this visit, Minister Sutanovac wished to motivate others who can help. "I'm sure that those having money are humane people and all they need is to get the real information", said Sutanovac in conversation with Irena Paunovic in her family house in the settlement of Adrani. Due to heavy illness, the left lung was removed from Irena Paunovic, and now the right lung is rapidly failing and she needs transplantation at the clinic in Vienna. "I hope to make it until September. That's the deadline", said Irena.
The Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, said that the city shall also get involved in raising funds for Irena's operation.
Today, the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, welcomed the members of the group Atomsko sloniste and their front man Bruno Langer. The "Atomics" came to Kraljevo as participants of the humanitarian rock spectacle "Hepicenter" and this is the second time the legendary rock group is coming to Kraljevo this year. Both times the rockers came to Kraljevo for free as their support to the town damaged in the last-year's earthquake.
The Mayor thanked the guests from Istra and emphasized that this is one of the biggest events in Kraljevo lately because the organization and list of participants of this humanitarian spectacle are such that larger cities than ours would be jealous.
The front man of "Atomics", Bruno Langer thanked the Mayor for the warm welcome and emphasized that they come happy because they will play before the best audience that has been following them since their establishment.
Reconstruction works of the Dusana Popovica Street in Ribnica started today. This street represents part of the road connecting Kraljevo and Vrnjacka Banja, Krusevac and Nis, and the project foresees reconstruction of a part of the road 762 m long and 22.5 m wide with atmospheric waters sewage and electrical works.
Commencement of works was attended by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, Mr. Milan Dokic, the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, with representatives of the local self-government and Mr. Jovan Nesovic, a public alderman.
The Project staring today shall have two phases, it shall last for 100 days, and its value is more than 124 million dinars, of which app. 77 million dinars have been secured from the National Investment Plan, while he City of Kraljevo has provided the remaining 47 million dinars.
The Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, said that the project of reconstruction in the Dusana Popovica Street started thanks to the cooperation of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the City of Kraljevo, a well as that construction of the sports hall next to it shall start in a couple of days.
"Construction of the sports hall shall be started on a location of 5.4 hectares, on the area that will be open for new development lines and investments", said Simovic.
On today's meeting in presence of reporters, the Minister for human and minority rights, state administration and local self-government, Mr. Milan Markovic, and the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, analyzed data of the Committee for Resolution of Citizens' Objections to which 2142 complaints have been submitted, of which 65 percent was assessed as reasonable. The citizens mostly complained on the assessed degree of damage on houses and on the amount of construction material.
"After the Committee's decision, another 112 citizens requested supervision. If out of 15 000 inspected structures only 120 citizens are not satisfied, then we can say that the Committee for Damage Assessment had done a good job", said Markovic.
He appraised that this shows that all principles of both efficiency and transparency were followed and that on Kraljevo example new standards in performing complicated and sensitive job such as recovery of consequences of natural disasters have been established. The Minister said that the state ombudsman had emphasized that every case coming from Kraljevo has priority.
In continuance of the visit, the Minister for human and minority rights, state administration and local self-government, Mr. Milan Markovic, with the Mayor Simovic and the director of the Public Enterprise "Post Serbia", which is the biggest individual donor, Mr. Goran Ciric, visited the family of Branislav Kosovic in the village of Sirca who moved in a new house with his wife and parents. "For seven months we lived in auxiliary rooms, and although the new house is smaller than the old one moving into it is a great happiness for us", said Kosovic.
The Kosovics' house if the 401st prefabricated house the Government has built in Kraljevo. The Mayor Ljubisa Simovic expects that the total of 470 houses will have been built until 1 October as promised.
The director of the Public Enterprise "Post Serbia", Mr. Goran Ciric, reminded that this company had allocated 50 million dinars for the recovery of Kraljevo, and the "Postal Savings Bank" 30 million dinars. These funds shall be used for the recovery of the most damaged school buildings.
Family of Mirko Radivojevic was solemnly awarded keys of a new-built house today - donation of the General Association of Entrepreneurs of the Municipality of Arilje.
The Radivojevic' family consists of spouses Mirko and Zaga, sons, ten-year-old Predrag, who suffers from cerebral paralysis, and seven-year-old Lazar, as well as Mirko's mother, Radmila. They have been displaced at their neighbors and relatives since the earthquake on 3 November last year because the old house is not livable any more. President of the Entrepreneurs' Association Steering Board, Mr. Milutin Stefanovic, handed the keys of the 70m2 house to the goodman Mirko in presence of Chiefs of Police Administrations of Uzice and Kraljevo and the Mayor of Kraljevo.
The General Association of Entrepreneurs of the Municipality of Arilje launched a charity action of gathering help for the earthquake victims. With help from the Police Administration Kraljevo, the Association found the family of Mirko Radivojevic from Grdica, whose house was proclaimed unlivable by the committee, i.e. house planned for destruction. This family lives in very hard material situation, all family members are unemployed, and they have a child with heavy disability who needs help of one parent at all times.
The General Association of Entrepreneurs made the decision to build a solid masoned structure of 70m2 surface area from the raised money. 180 business entities from the municipality of Arilje took part in the humanitarian action raising 23,000 Euros. Construction Company Grading from Kraljevo was chosen as the most favorable tenderer for performance of works.
Police officers from the Police Station Pozega and Police Station Arilje participated in demolition of the existing house damaged in the earthquake. Furnishing of the newly built house was helped by the Police Administration in Kraljevo, which also provided logistic support during construction of the house.
Chief of Police Administration Uzice, Ms. Dragica Jevtovic, said to the reporters that this was yet another example that the police aren't here just to implement repressive measure, but they were in people's service in other ways also.
Besides the donors and others who participated in this act of humanity, the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, was also present at the award of keys, thanking the donors and emphasized that this help is huge for the Radivojevic family, but also for Kraljevo, because without such help the city would not be able to complete the recovery.
On today's press conference the organizers of the humanitarian festival Happycenter, which is taking place in Kraljevo from 23 to 25 June, announced participation of 19 established and unestablished bands with about 100 musicians.
According to Mr. Dragan Blagojevic, member of the Festival Organization Board, all bands are going to perform pro bono and all the money gathered from the concerts shall be directed to the account for help for Kraljevo in recovery of the earthquake consequences.
The Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, thanked all those helping this humanitarian action and expressed his satisfaction that, with pictures from the Happycenter festival, the city hit by the earthquake will send world a message that it is ready for beautiful things again after the catastrophe that found it.
On the first evening, 23 June, traditional 6th hard Rock Festival is taking place with announced participation of Stormbringer, Santos Brothers, Rock House Band and Kraljevski Apartman. Entrance for their performance if free.
On Friday 24 June, Gama Zrak, Atomsko Skloniste, Galija and Divlje jagode will perform among others, and on Saturday 25 June, YU Grupa, Van Gogh and Dado Topic.
Festival organizers said that they expected at least 12,000 visitors and about 1,000 bikers, for who a motor-camp shall be organized on the city beach.
The motor-camp will be free of charge for bikers who buy a two-day ticket.
Two-day tickets can be bought for the price of 500 dinars in advance only, and there are about 460 still left, and the day ticket costs 300 dinars.
There is big interest from the media for the festival - 22 crews with 35 reporters, cameraman and photo reporters. On the plateau along the city beach there will be three bars assembled with total length of 25 meters with two food stands, and insertion of drinks will not be allowed.
Organizers say that weather forecast is favorable because all three nights will be clear skies and warm.
According to Mr. Aleksandar Vulic, president of the Kraljevo Motor Club 'King's Cross', whose members have animated their friends from the whole world for help for Kraljevo, and for Saturday 25 June they have planned a big biker parade through the city center.
On the occasion of the 'Slava' of the City of Kraljevo, Ministry of Internal Affairs Day, 'Slava' and Day of the Police, the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, awarded the best individuals with awards and acknowledgments on the solemn reception today.
Awards and acknowledgments were awarded to the Police Office Commander in the Police Administration of Kraljevo, the chief Police Inspector Mr. Jovica Dosic, Head of Department for Extraordinary Situations in Kraljevo, Mr. Radoica Kovocic , Commander of the Technical Department of the Firefighting-Rescue Unit in Kraljevo, Mr. Zoran Borovicanin, and police officers of the Gendarmerie Squad, Police Major Mr. Novica Pleskonjic.
On the occasion of celebration of the World Blood Donor Day, representatives of the Red Cross Kraljevo, in cooperation with the city of Kraljevo, organized today a solemn award of acknowledgements to multiple voluntary blood donors. The acknowledgements were awarded by the Mayor of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic , Mayor Assistan for Social Issues, Mr. Milun Jovanovic, and the President of the Voluntary Blood Donning Committee, Mr. Yoran Timotijevic. The blood donors were greeted by the Head of Blood Transfusion Department of the Health Center 'Studenica', Dr. Marijana Vitkovic.
Today, representatives of the S-Leasing Company from Belgrade donated the city of Kraljevo with a geodetic total measurement station "TRIMBLE 5500 3" DR STANDARD" wishing to help the city of Kraljevo and the imperiled citizens in overcoming the consequences of the earthquake that hit the territory of the city of Kraljevo on 3 November 2010. The geodetic station will be placed to the disposal of the Directorate for Planning and Construction Kraljevo, and its value is 619,983.47 dinars.
Donation Agreement has been signed by the Mayor, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, on behalf of the city and Mr. Vladimir Pajovic, deputy director, on behalf of the company.
Immediately after the earthquake in Kraljevo, S-Leasing sent help in the amount of 550,000 dinars, and in this way they wish to contribute and help the citizens of Kraljevo who suffered big material losses in the earthquake.
First media promotion of the project "promotion of new development tools by introducing GIS" was held on 13 June 2011 in the city of Kraljevo. Apart from the representatives of the City of Kraljevo and public enterprises, representatives of the City of Kragujevac - the project partner, were also present at the media promotion of the project. The project is financed by the European Union within the second call of the Exchange 3 Programme implemented by the standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and realized by the City of Kraljevo in cooperation with the project partner - City of Kragujevac. Total value of the project is € 305,090.00. Realization of the project commenced on 25 March 211 and it will last for 15 month.
General objective of the project is:
- Capacity increase of the local self-government for provision of services and feasible attraction of investments on the territory of the city of Kraljevo.
Specific objective of the project is:
- Increased efficiency of the local self-government through establishment of new institutional procedures and technical capacities contributing to creating favorable conditions for investment with use of the geographic information system (GIS).
(The Project is realized from the European Union funds, Exchange 3 Programme. Contents of this information express standpoint, opinion and attitudes of the project and in no way does it express attitudes and opinions of the European Union.)
From 9 to 14 June, in the hall in front of the Aldermen Club, the citizens of Kraljevo will have the opportunity to see and take a photo of the trophy the Serbia national tennis team won as the winner of the last year's Davis Cup. The popular 'Salad bowl', arriving from Novi Pazar, was welcomed by the Mayor of the city of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, with members of the Tennis Club Kraljevo.
"Achievements of our tennis players have become the best promoter of Serbia. We believe that young tennis players of Kraljevo will also soon contribute to that glory" said Mr. Simovic.
Two current state champions sprouted from the Tennis Club Kraljevo - Katarina Adamovic recently became champion of Serbia in the category up to 18 years of age, and Luka Ilic is the champion for the age up to 16. This most famous team competition of men's national tennis teams has been played since 1900, and the national team of Serbia is just the 13th national selection that won the Davis Cup.
The Mayor of the City of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, welcomed today a delegation of the City of Banja Luka, lead by the Mayor Dragoljub Davidovic. The guests from Banja Luka discussed with the Mayor about the earthquake that hit Kraljevo and about their experience in it, since Banja Luka was also hit by an earthquake in 1969. The two Mayors also talked about future cooperation of the two cities and established that there is mutual intention and wish for cooperation in several fields for which there are real hypothesis.
The guests from Banja Luka also visited the factory for ultra light airplanes 'Aero East Group', from which a delivery of the first airplane or the Banja Luka aero club is expected this week.
According to the mayor Davidovic's words, possible production of such kind of airplanes in Banja Luka was also discusses during the visit. These airplanes were also pronounced the most successful export product in Serbia for 2009 at the international fare.
Construction magazine, in cooperation with the City of Kraljevo, organizes 5th scientific-professional gathering called "Experiences and Moral Acquired after the Earthquake in Kraljevo of 3 November 2010".
At the opening of the scientific gathering the participants were greeted by the Mayor of Kraljevo, Ljubisa Simovic, Assistant of the Minister of education and science, Dr Radosav Cerovic, and Prof. Dr Miodrag Manic, civil engineer.
'If the earthquake in Kraljevo had been 5.6 magnitudes on the Richter scale instead of 5.4, i.e. two times energetically stronger, most of 16.000 damaged structures would have been destroyed in this town' - said Dr Miodrag Manic at the opening of the gathering.
Aim of the two-day gathering, with participation of eminent world and domestic experts in the field general and engineering seismology, earthquake engineering and cultural-historic heritage preservation from Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Macedonia, Croatia and the USA, is to introduce the professional and scientific public with measures that have to be applied in order to reduce the seismic risk of future earthquakes in the whole country and the region.
Dr Miodrag Manic added that after the earthquake in Kraljevo, political public needs to waken and starts listening to the voice of professionals.
He reminded that when building a house, people in Serbia still rarely decide to employ civil engineers. Instead, contractors build their structures that are not in compliance with construction rules and regulations; it is still built without ground seismic checks, and our man doesn't even have the culture of maintenance of structures regarding timely repairs. 'Residents of buildings, out of ignorance, believe that investors who they allow to build superstructures will secure better conditions because old buildings do not have central heating or adequate piping. Those people do not know that old buildings were not designed to be resistant on seismic activities because they were built before adoption of seismic regulations in 1964, a year after the earthquake in Skopje' - said Manic.
Dr Mihailo Trifunac, professor at the University of California, said that it is very dangerous that seismic activities in Serbia are small because engineers and designers are relaxed with a thought that an earthquake in Serbia is not going to happen any time soon.
Minister for Human and Minority Rights, State Administration and Local Self-Government and the Government coordinator for help to Kraljevo, Mr. Milan Markovic, the Director of the Commodity Reserves Directorate, Mr. Goran Tasic, and the Mayor of the City of Kraljevo, Mr. Ljubisa Simovic, have attended a delivery of meat products to the Red Cross of Kraljevo for the Soup Kitchen.
Aiming to implementing humanitarian aid to the most endangered citizens, 3,713 kg of meat products and 500 kg of fat shall be delivered to for the needs of the Soup Kitchen.
After that, the Minster Markovic and the Mayor of Kraljevo, Ljubisa Simovic, visited works on recovery of buildings in the Dragoslava Bogavca Street.