BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 18. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a 75 million euro loan to Serbia as part of the third phase of the country’s solid waste management program, Trend reports.
The project, which forms part of a 300 million euro co-financed initiative with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), aims to modernize waste management infrastructure across Serbia.
This phase includes the construction or expansion of seven regional waste management centers, the development of a multi-regional sorting system, and enhanced infrastructure for waste collection and biodegradable waste treatment. Covering 47 municipalities and benefiting over 1.56 million residents, the program also seeks to boost recycling rates and facilitate Serbia’s transition to a circular economy, in line with EU environmental standards.
Siniša Mali, Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, signed the agreement alongside Charlotte Ruhe, EBRD’s Managing Director for Central and South-Eastern Europe, and Rémy Rioux, AFD CEO, with Irena Vujović, Minister of Environmental Protection, in attendance.
The EBRD remains a leading investor in Serbia, with over 9.5 billion euros committed across 367 projects, focusing on private-sector growth, green energy, and sustainable infrastructure.