The municipality has locations available for investment that are equipped with complete infrastructure, a technically modernised local administration, a completed real estate registry and a swift procedure for the issuance of permits
The Municipality of Krupanj is one of many to be hit by major flooding last year. Thanks to the help of many donors, the municipality has recovered and greatly developed its economic potential.
Krupanj was one of the symbols of the suffering of the flooding. How much has it been restored today and will you be more ready to face any similar challenge in the future?
The Municipality of Krupanj was hit by the catastrophic flood in May 2014, which caused enormous damage to residential and commercial buildings, as well as completely destroying infrastructure as a result of a large number of landslides and mudslides. After more than a year, the situation in the municipality is good. All damaged and destroyed residential buildings have been renovated and rebuilt, while businesses have also been repaired and significant investments have been made by the state and the EU to reconstruct regional roads.
There has been a renovation of 12 kilometres of the Krupanj – Korenita road, which connects the municipality of Krupanj with Loznica and the wider region. Another approach to Krupanj, via the Krupanj-Zavlaka-Tekeriš-Šabac regional road, has also been improved significantly in the previous period. Individual landslide areas have been partially fixed, while some are still active and require significant resources and the development of projects. On the territory of the municipality of Krupanj, floods damaged or destroyed a total of 22 bridges. Some of these bridges have been repaired and secured, while 11 bridges currently remain to be constructed or reconstructed.
Cooperation between the Municipality of Krupanj and the Embassy of Japan has been exceptional and we expect this to continue in the future
One of the joint activities of the Office for assistance and rehabilitation of flooded areas and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the implementation of the “Programme for the construction of facilities for strengthening the resilience of communities against future disasters”.
This programme is funded by the Government of Japan. As a priority of this programme, the drafting of landfill site sections in torrent streams, on order II waters, has been adopted. Of a total of 18 landfill bulkheads in the municipality of Krupanj, with the help of donors, four torrent barriers have been constructed, while it is necessary to construct another 14, which the Municipality of Krupanj is attempting to secure additional funds to finance. Much work remains to be done on the regulation of destroyed river beds.
One of the priorities of the River Likodra, for which there is a major regulation project in the area of the settlement of Krupanj.
How much have donations contributed to restoring normal living conditions in Krupanj?
Help for citizens threatened and harmed by floods and landslides since May 2014 has been realised by humanitarian organisations, associations and individuals through various forms: food aid, water, hygiene, school supplies, firewood, psychological and social support, electrical appliances, furniture and fittings, construction material, financial assistance for animal fodder, installing greenhouses, purchasing irrigation systems and secondary devices for agricultural equipment…
Aid has been directed to the citizens of Krupanj by more than 200 donors. The fact is that the Municipality of Krupanj would not be able to recover without the help of many donors, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
Many facilities in the municipality have been renovated and furnished thanks to donor assistance from Japan. How did your cooperation unfold?
Back in 2011, the Government of Japan donated to Public Company “PUT” Krupanj a water tank worth €58,500 in order to improve the supply of drinking water to citizens. This donation is important for this small and underdeveloped municipality, and partly solves water supply problems, and was particularly important at the time of the floods, when supplying water was made more difficult.
The Embassy of Japan donated €31,376 in 2014 for equipment and reconstruction of the old people’s home in Krupanj, with funds earmarked for the reconstruction of the flooded basement, for the purchase of smaller and larger water boilers and industrial washing machines.
We would like Japanese companies to also come to the municipality of Krupanj to check out the conditions and investment opportunities
This year saw agreements signed on donations from the Embassy of Japan, according to which the Borivoje Ž. Milojević Primary School in Krupanj received €66,400 for the reconstruction of its heating system and the replacement of interior doors, while the Krupanj Health Centre received €78,000 for the procurement of a fully equipped ambulance vehicle and X-ray machine. All works and procurements were carried out as planned.
A Mazda 3 car was donated to the Municipality of Krupanj as part of a larger donation of the Japanese Government to the public sector of the Republic of Serbia in 2015.
Cooperation between the Municipality of Krupanj and the Embassy of Japan has been exceptional and we also expect this to continue in the future. In light of the huge assistance received, we are immensely grateful to the Embassy, Government and people of Japan.
What kind of quality of healthcare do Krupanj residents now have?
The Krupanj Health Centre was separated from the Loznica Health Centre in 2010 and has been operating independently since then. The municipality has used its own funds to gradually procure the necessary devices, while two ambulance vehicles have also been bought. With the help of the Embassy of Japan, we procured an ambulance and a new X-ray machine.
The quality of primary healthcare provided by the Krupanj Health Centre has improved greatly. What will also improve conditions for taking care of patients is the reconstruction and utilisation of infirmary buildings within the framework of the health centre, for which full funding has been secured courtesy of numerous donors.
Following the arrival of Turkish company Jeanci, how much has interest in investing in your region increased?
The significant restoration of transport infrastructure on regional roads in the previous period has had a positive impact on potential investors. Today it is easier to reach Krupanj with good roads that facilitate faster and better transport communications, and which create better conditions for potential investors to arrive.
The previous period has seen the appearance of investors in agriculture, especially in processing facilities, while there is also some interest in the field of textile production. We would like Japanese companies to also come to the municipality of Krupanj to check out the conditions and investment opportunities.
What represents Krupanj’s most significant economic potential?
Apart from mining and wood processing, the 1960s saw the development of Krupanj’s textile industry, the production of cardboard packaging, contact lenses, small businesses, trade and tourism. The majority of the municipality’s population is engaged in agriculture. Of the 34,200 hectares covered by the municipality, arable land accounts for 48%, the majority of which comprises fields and fruit orchards.
The agricultural potential encompasses fruit, vegetable and livestock cultivation. The area is mostly known for its cultivation of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, plums and potatoes. Unpolluted nature and diverse flora offer opportunities for collecting wild fruits and herbs.
The production of exceptionally high-quality honey is also well developed. Processing facilities for the aforementioned agricultural products can be developed for the production of healthy food with protected indicators of geographical origin.
Tourism is one of the development priorities of the municipality. Contemporary Krupanj is characterised by ecologically pristine and attractive nature complemented by cultural and historical sites, which makes this area interesting for tourists and provides excellent conditions for the development of all forms of tourism (sports and recreation, excursion, rural, hunting and fishing).
The Municipality of Krupanj has locations available for investment that are equipped with complete infrastructure, with a technically modernised local administration, good coverage of fixed and mobile telephony, a completed real estate registry, and swift procedures for issuing permits and approvals for investors.
How capable is Krupanj when it comes to offering investors a skilled workforce?
Krupanj has a lot of qualified and high-quality workers of all profiles. Highly qualified and trained personnel are mostly present in the textile sector, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, economics and the legal domain. There is also the Krupanj Secondary School, where young people are educated in the majority of these profiles.