Brussels, 05/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Serb government signed, on Thursday 4 March in Belgrade, a €200 million loan to support a project aimed at fostering research and development (R&D) in the public sector. Funding will be implemented through the Ministry of Science and Technological Development.
The project, the cost of which is estimated at €420 million, concerns a series of investments aimed at revitalising Serbia's public R&D activity. The investments include the upgrading of existing infrastructure, the creation of a centre for promotion of science, the construction of accommodation for students and young scientists, and the creation of centres of excellence in priority research fields. The specific measures included in the programme have three objectives: - to develop the infrastructure for public sector scientific research in Serbia, to create working and living conditions that will enable those trained to the highest levels to compete and collaborate with the international scientific community, and to attract some of the leading Serbian scientists currently working abroad back to Serbia. In a press release, the EIB states that the project is “fully in line with the EIB's lending priorities for the strengthening and development of activities in support of the candidate and potential candidate countries”. (O.L/transl.jl)