Serbia to get EUR 2.7 million in grants from Norway – Funds intended for suppressing cyber-crime, illegal employment...

Minister of European Integration at the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Jadranka Joksimovic, and Ambassador of Norway Arne Sannes Bjornstad, signed a Memorandum of Understanding today on grants in the amount of EUR 2.7 million from Norway for various projects in Serbia.

As the official website of the government announces, Joksimovic told the press, following the signing of the document by the Ministry of European Integration of Serbia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, that, of the said amount, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia would get EUR 1.68 million for harmonization in countering cyber-crime and illegal drug trade.

EUR 78,000 is set aside for the project of strengthening Europol units, she said, whereas a direct grant of EUR 380,000 is meant for the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy, that is, inspections for countering illegal employment.

She reminded that Norway had been providing developmental help to Serbia for a long time, not just within the process of European integration, but also in the entire reform process in line with certain chapters, such as chapters 23 and 24, which deal with the rule of law, freedom and security.

The country has provided grants in the amount of over EUR 100 million to Serbia in the past 10 years, Joksimovic said and expressed hope that the cooperation between her ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway would continue, especially in project selection and available sources of finance.

She explained that the developmental help was meant for the interior development of Serbia, which is the goal of European integration, as well as for achieving a sustainable reformation process, but also for addressing numerous global challenges Serbia will face not just as a candidate but also as the future member of the EU.

Ministarstvo za evropske integracije Republike Srbije

Vlada Republike Srbije

Ambasada Kraljevine Norveške u Beogradu

Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova Republike Srbije

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia

countering cyber crime

cyber crime

Europol

Ministry of Labor

suppressing illegal employment

illegal employment

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway

developmental help from Norway

Euro integration

European integration

reforms in Serbia

Jadranka Joksimovic

Arne Sannes Bjornstad

suppressing illegal drug trade