The loan, in the amount of €200 million, will finance investments in water supply and wastewater management, in line with government priorities in the area of environmental protection. For the water supply, the funds will be used for the modernisation of the network through priority measures in 60 municipalities.
The measures will result in the reduction of water loss, enhanced water supply coverage and improved quality of water for 2 million people or close to 30 percent of the population of Serbia.
The CEB is also supporting this investment programme with a €1.1 million grant for technical assistance.
The grant is funded by contributions of €250,000 from the Italian Fund for Innovative Projects, the Slovak Inclusive Growth Account, and the Spanish Social Cohesion Account. In addition, the CEB’s Social Dividend Account contributed €350,000.
"Environmental considerations are key in CEB project financing. We are firmly committed to supporting our member countries’ climate change policies and we do our utmost to help them reach their targets in terms of energy efficiency, reduction of CO2 emissions, and other climate adaptation and mitigation policies,” said CEB Governor Wenzel. “I am pleased with the excellent cooperation between the CEB and Serbia not only in the area of environmental protection but also in several other areas of social development,” he concluded.
Serbia has been a CEB member since 2004. In addition to the protection of the environment, CEB operations in the country focus on support for micro, small and medium-sized businesses through local partner banks as well as investments in public infrastructure, particularly in health and education. Serbia is an active partner of the Bank in the framework of the CEB-managed Regional Housing Programme (RHP) and the programme’s largest beneficiary. Also, CEB refugee grants to Serbia under the Migrant and Refugee Fund (MRF) since 2016 have exceeded € 3.5 million.