Nebojsa Zelenovic,mayor of Sabac - We have been negotiating with 17 investors and we have not given up Sabac on water either

Nebojsa Zelenovic

We have currently beennegotiating with seventeen investors which would like to operate in Sabac. Weare one out of twelve towns who operate in free zone regime which is veryimportant to us for attracting capital, the mayor of Sabac, Nebojsa Zelenovicsays in his interview for eKapija.

Sabac is at the same time thefirst local self-governance in Serbia which offered municipal bonds in public.Sale started December 4 and ended December 18 and the thing which isspecifically important is the fact that bonds emission, totaling RSD 400 m wascompletely implemented. Moreover, demand was 50% higher than the offer.

The mayor Zelenovic claims it wasa good move of local self-governance.

eKapija: Withthe emission of municipal bonds you collected funds for city swimming pool construction.How is construction making progress and when will it open?

- The swimming pool will becompleted in June. It will be another important facility for the town whichwill enrich tourist offer and enable our kids to learn swimming. As a mayor, Iwill see to the fact that every kid in Sabac does it.

Future swimming pool

eKapija: Howare you trying to attract investors to Sabac? What can you offer?

- We are one out of 12 townswhere businessmen have the option to run business in free zone regime. It meanswithout additional taxes and with customs benefits. It is very important forforeign investors.

eKapija: Still,you said you see Sabac first of all as agricultural town?

- We have potential in theworking zone whose size is 600 ha, where highway will be in the future. We have all pre-conditions to make Sabacindustrial center but I would really first like it to be the center in theagriculture field.

A part of the project Sabac-city on water

We have good conditions, plentyof sunny days which are favorable for fruit and vegetables growing and I thinkthis is what we will promote in the future.

eKapija: Fora few years now, there has been a project of Sabac at the Sava river whichcomprises construction of larger number of residential, business and culturalfacilities. What is happening with that project?

- We are one step far to get tothe river. A big thing which has been separating Sabac from the Sava is thefact that we had landfill at the coast. In September 2014, we succeeded inclosing it and to deliver all waste to regional landfill in Sremska Mitrovica.It is sanitary landfill, its construction is a part of the European projectswhich made us one of the rare towns which has waste management regulated.

Our idea is to “take” as much ofcultural facilities to the river as possible.

eKapija: Werethere interested investors in the "Sabac-city on water project "?

- No, but we did not offer thatkind of investing yet. We should have solved some other issues in order tooffer that kind of project to investors. It requires extensive funds to beinvested in infrastructure in that position. However, I have to outline that Istill want to preserve natural, green, area along the Sava river where we have rampart.

eKapija: In Sabac, the Sloboda hotel has recently beenopened where Alco Group poured EUR 15 m.How important is the hotel opening for the City of Sabac?

- It is really important becausewe you talk to serious businessman they simply cannot see the town in the rightway if they do not have where to spend their time or to spend a night.

The city needed facility whichwill follow industrial and tourist potentials. The Sloboda hotel both completesthe business image of Sabac and is its symbol. The image and function of such a representative facility oblige us topay more attention to city lake and complete environmental unit. I believe wewill do it through restructuring of city square where one of the centralfacilities will be the Sloboda hotel. Itwill change the image of the city and provide new support to development.

J. DJ.