On the Road to EU

With the population of over 300.000 residents the City of Nis is the

third largest city in Serbia. It is the regional center which accumulates

administration, economy, politics, culture, sports and tourism of the

South East Serbia. As such it is definitely the source of huge development

potentials. The city territory of 600 m2 is divided into five municipalities

and there are 74 suburban and rural settlements. It is a communication

knot of the European roads and railway lines.

Roads and Railways

The City of Nis is at the Corridor 10, at the intersection of roads E-75 and E-80, which are

going into two directions: South, towards Macedonia and Greece and East, towards Bulgaria

and Turkey. Relevant to importance in the road network of Serbia, the directions Budapest

– Subotica – Novi Sad – Belgrade – Nis – Leskovac – Vranje – Skopje – Thessaloniki has a

prominent place since it goes through economically developed areas with high density.

Air Traffic

Air traffic is carried out over the Airport Constantine the Great, the international airport

with the destination code INI. The airport is located in the zone of very favourable climate

conditions during the whole year with a small number of foggy and snowing days and it

is used as an alternative airport for airports in Priština, Belgrade, Podgorica, Skopje and

Sofia. Every week passengers can fly to 19 different European destinations such as: Vienna,

Frankfurt, Paris, London, Rome, Copenhagen, Moscow and others.

Water Traffic

Nis is connected with the Corridor 7 and the Danube River, as well as with the Port Smederevo,

by the highway and the railway in the length of around 200 km, and with the Aegean Sea, that

is, the port Thessaloniki by the highway and the railway in the length of 400 km.

Having in mind that the City of Nis will be the centre of capital projects important for the

Republic of Serbia in general in the following period, we are doing everything within our

powers to show to potential partners that investing in our city and implementing joint projects

could be worthwhile.

ABOUT NIS

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Archaeological findings from IV century BC testify that Nis was inhabited as early

as New Stone Age and Early Bronze Age. We can follow further city development

through important historic events in which Nis played a very prominent role.

From 75 BC until V century AD, Nis was under Roman rule. Ancient Naissus

flourished in prosperity as a military and administrative centre of the Roman

Empire. The present archaeological site Mediana is the witness of wealth and glory

of the Imperial Naissus.

During V century AD the city was devastated by the Huns, only to flourish again

during next century under the rule of Byzantine Emperor Justinian.

The period of Slavic arrival (VII and VII century) remains without written testimony.

A historically important period was between IX and XII century when Nis became

a part of the Serbian state under the rule of Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja. The

Nemanjić family brought high level of development and significance to Nis. Grand

Prince Stefan Nemanja attached Nis to Serbia in 1183 with the intention to make it

the capital. Nis had been a great economic, cultural and strategy center until Serbia

fell into Turkish power.

The Turkish rule started in XIV century. During five centuries of Ottoman rule Nis

was one of the seats of Turkish military and civil administration. The Fortress,

best preserved and most beautiful medieval fortification in central Balkans, dating

from beginning of XVIII century, dominates the urban nucleus of the city today and

presents a condensed picture of uninterrupted urban history. It is one of the most

significant bases for the redefinition of the Nis cultural identity.

Skull Tower Monument, one of its kind, was built after the Battle on Čegar in

1809 during the Serbian uprising against Turkish reign. This horrific monument

incorporating human skulls of dead Serbian rebels was built along the road to

Constantinople as a warning to anyone rising against Ottoman rule. French poet

Lamartine on his passage through Nis in 1833 left the following message: May the

Serbs preserve this monument! It will teach their children the price paid for the

independence of one nation!

City of Nis has always been the meeting point of many people, different ideas, cultures and traditions which

provided the City with abundant historical and cultural legacy. Romans, Goths, Illyrians, Thracians, Celts,

Huns and other nations created the history of the city. Each new conqueror gave the town a new name: Celtic

Navissos, Roman Naissus, Byzantine Nysos, German Nissa and Slovene Nis.

HISTORICAL CULTURAL HERITAGE

On the Road to EU

Upon liberation from the Turks in 1878 by the Army of Prince Milan Obrenović Nis

flourished culturally and developed politically and grew from a small Turkish provincial

town into a modern European town. The city got:

During World War II, Nis was again a vital

strategic point on the communication lines

to Thessaloniki and the Black Sea. The

memorial museum where concentration

camp once was and memorial park built

on the location of biggest execution site of

that time provide authentic testimony to

the perils of the citizens and supporters of

liberation movement during World War II.

The post war years were marked by

intensive revival and development and

soon Nis became a center of South East

Serbia. Nis started to develop as industrial

center with the revival of tobacco, textile

and mechanic industry and starting of the

electronic industry. The general literacy

increased and first faculties of Medical,

Economic, Law and Technical Sciences

were opened in 1960 while the University

of Nis was officially established in 1965 and

that shaped the city development direction.

Immediately before World War I, the

National Assembly and Serbian Government

moved to Nis. At its session in Nis, Serbian

National Assembly adopted the declaration

which justified the liberation war goals and

called for unification of South Slavs – Serbs,

Croats and Slovene – into a single state.

which consequently led to the wars and disintegration of Yugoslavia. Economic crisis in Yugoslavia reached unprecedented highs in mid 1990s.

The protests of Serbian opposition and university students in winter 1996/97 were triggered by electoral fraud attempted by the government of

Slobodan Milošević after 1996 local elections. And the protests started in Nis first. After 96 days of rallies Milošević accepted the opposition

victory and instated local government in several cities. On January 27, 1997, the first democratic Nis City Assembly was constituted.

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As dynamic medium sized city Nis offers its inhabitants and visitors

much of what big city life has, but without the urban chaos and without

diminishing the quality of life. As focal point of South East Serbia, Nis

today is also a city of commerce and services and a growing centre

of leisure and culture.

Nis is blessed with moderate continental climate and four distinct seasons, although

autumns last longer than springs but the autumns are famous for warm Indian summer.

July is the warmest month in a year and January is the coldest. The whole area around

city is characterized by a rich geomorphologic diversity with intact nature. The City of Nis

is dedicated to smart environment preserving our natural resources and making efforts

towards environmental protection.

Nis City as local self government is trying to nourish smart living in the city practicing

smart economy which includes all around economic competitiveness, innovative spirit,

entrepreneurship, trademarks, productivity and flexibility of the labour market as well as

the integration in the (inter)national market; integrating aspects of political participation,

services for citizens as well as the transparent functioning of the administration; smart

mobility with local and international accessibility as well as the availability of information

and communication technologies and modern and sustainable transport systems.

NIS TODAY

On the Road to EU

The residents and visitors alike are blessed with great cultural and entertainment

opportunities. The cultural life of Nis is shaped by the numerous institutions - the

National Theatre, the Public Library, the National Museum, the Symphony Orchestra,

the Puppet Theatre, Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, the University

Library, the City Archives, the Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Centre for Culture and

Education, several publishing houses, and many amateur organizations in arts and

complete whether we are talking about jazz music, national film, choral performances

and mastery of art colonies.

Nis has become recognizable as new destination on the map of extreme sports fan and

sportsmen. The exquisite natural attractions of surrounding mountains and gorges are

ideal for extreme sports such as paragliding, free climbing, off road (4X4), rafting and

shooting rally. The city itself offers indoor and outdoor facilities for recreational and

sports activities.

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NIS - OPEN CITYThe international activity on local level does matter; it has proved to

be a development tool for a local-self government. Direct relations

with the representatives of the foreign diplomatic missions in Serbia

represent a starting point for initiating, establishing and furthering

the cooperation in the fields of economy, culture, education. Also, it

is an opportunity for learning more about how to make a city more

attractive for direct foreign investments.

WELCOMING INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

In Summer 2008 the City of Nis open its doors wide to the representatives of the foreign

diplomatic missions in Serbia. We welcomed the ambassadors, the heads of economic

and trade departments at the embassies, the heads of development cooperation

departments with the objective to introduce the city and its potentials and to establish

our international profile. Since then City of Nis has been host to many European high

state officials and city delegations.

In November 2008 the City of Nis welcomed the ambassadors of 22 EU countries to Serbia

and the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Serbia Ambassador Josep

Lloveras for their regular meeting. This was the first meeting of EU Ambassadors held

outside Serbian capital and organised by a local self-government.

HONORARY CONSULS

Four Nis citizens recognized the possibility of making the best of their personal and

professional engagement for the promotion of economic and cultural links between Nis

and some of European countries and cities and thus promote the city itself. Their personal

endeavours have been recognized by those European countries as well as Nis City

capacities for more intense and richer international cooperation and those four citzens

have been appointed Honorary Consuls of Great Britain, Hungary, France and Slovakia.

So we can proudly say that Nis, in Serbia outisde Belgrade, has the largest diplomatic

community.

On the Road to EU

After democratic changes in 2000 the City of Nis was recognized in international

circles as a proactive city open for cooperation and international relations.

Numerous high ranking organizations opened their door and invited Nis to

become a full member. These organizations are:

NIS NETWORKING

AVEC – since 2009

ALDA – since 2001

BALCINET – since 2000

ECAD – since 2007

ENERGY CITIES – since 2003

EUROCITIES – since 2001

THE GLOCAL FORUM – since 2002

WORLD LEAGUE OF HISTORICAL CITIES – since 2009

MAYORS FOR PEACE – since 2006

NALED - since 2010

SKGO - since its founding

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66 archaeological sites and 265 registered cultural assets are located in Nis. Heritage

preservation became the practice of managing change as a factor which balances

preserving heritage values and ensuring development. The city intensified the works on

reconstruction of all historical and cultural monuments trying to integrate the cultural

heritage into day-to-day living. In November 2009, City of Nis joined Association Alliance

of European Cultural Cities – AVEC.

AVEC is international network gathering 30 cities from 11 European countries with

the will to build a Europe of Regions based on the respect of the differences and the

interactions between cultures, the cities with rich material and spiritual cultural and

historical heritages which could serve as base on which to build a sustainable city. Each

member city takes part to the construction of a heritage with shared values, through

the conservation of the legacies of the past and the development of new creations in

accordance with the AVEC Charter. Each City or Area of Culture defines and implements,

within the limits of its jurisdiction, a detailed plan to put into practice heritage preservation,

enrichment and the valorization of its heritage.

Through the membership in AVEC,

the City of Nis will try to apply daily

European standards committing

ourselves to sustainable management

of cultural heritage and obtain quality

brand of sustainable cultural cities -

QUALICITIES label.

ALLIANCE OF EUROPEAN CULTURAL CITIES

On the Road to EU

self-government modernization led to twinning of Nis City with several towns and

municipalities from Europe. Friendship and cooperation enabled Nis City and its twin

cities to jointly face difficulties.

Experience in realization of concrete project has showed that such cooperation is very

successful and that, in most cases, it serves as a basis for further agreements between

Nis and other European cities. Cooperation in numerous fields gives twin cities a

possibility to learn from each other, overcome problems, start new projects and improve

the level of provided services.

In that way Nis City has possibility to streamline the function of its local self-government

and direct its capacities towards forthcoming integration of Serbia into EU.

TWINNING BEST PRACTICE

AARHUS OFFICE IN NIS Based on the Twinning Protocol and establishment of cooperation between the City of

Nis and City of Aarhus, Denmark, signed in June 2009, the City of Aarhus became a

leading partner of Agency for Local Democracy-LDACSS, founded by the City of Nis.

With intention to strengthen cooperation, City of Aarhus, City of Nis and LDACSS signed

the Agreement on Cooperation. City of Aarhus opened its office in Nis and the task of this

Office is to provide expert assistance to Nis City Office for Local Economic Development,

Office for European Affairs and Agency for Local Democracy.

TWINNING A STEP TOWARDS UNITED EUROPE

City of Saltdal, Kingdom of Norway, signed in 1985

City of Beersheba, Israel, signed in 1990

City of Veliko Trnovo, Bulgaria, signed in 1996,

Athens Municipality Glyfada, Greece, signed in 1999

City of Košice, Slovakia, signed in 2001

City of Kursk, Russia was signed 2006

City of Aarhus, Kingdom of Denmark, signed in 2009

City of Växjö, Sweden, signed in 2008

City of Leeds, Great Britain, signed in 2008

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Since the City of Nis is committed to the process of European integration, Mayor Miloš

Simonović decided to establish the Office for European Affairs (OEA) as an integral part

of his own office in 2009. Activities in this office are aimed at assisting local institutions,

authorities and citizens to become familiar with the objectives, values, standards and

functioning of the EU and EU policies and institutions and at promoting those same

values and principles.

The Office also maintains cooperation with EU institutions, EU-state diplomatic missions

in Serbia, European organisations and NGOs with the objection of promoting European

values and standards and creating joint projects with EU partners. The office is actively

involved in planning, following up and improving institutional and organizational

capacities of local administration in line with the requirements of EU accession. It also

prepares implements and coordinates projects related to the use of EU development and

technical assistance programmes.

The process of accessing EU and future Serbian membership are the

strategic objectives not only of the Republic of Serbia but also of all

its local self governments and Serbian citizens. That is why the City of

Nis as local self-government established City Representative Office

in Brussels trying to become more actively and directly involved in

European integration processes.

The main task of this office is to represent the local and regional

interests with the aim of making the City of Nis and the whole region of

South East Serbia recognizable as potential partners in the realisation

of joint European projects. The office is also in charge of establishing

connections and cooperation with the representative offices of other

European cities and region in Brussels and for securing necessary and

timely information flow from the central EU administration to local self

governments in Serbia.

Nis City Representative Office will strive to improve the city administration

capacity for the EU funds absorption, increase the recognisability and

visibility for the City of Nis and whole region of Southeast Serbia with

EU institutions in Brussels and other international institutions and

organisations and thus influence the improvement of the business

climate and regional economic development. The office cooperates closely with Association of Local Agencies for Democracy (ALDA)

and Regional Development Association SOUTH.

OFFICE FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN BRUSSELS

ON THE WAY TO EU

On the Road to EU

Then it expanded to opposition-ran cities and municipalities in 2000. In order to improve

everyday life for the people, and to make clear that the oil embargo should be laid at

the door of the current FRY leadership, the democratic opposition forces offered a plan

called Energy for Democracy. The pilot project was implemented first in the City of Nis.

After 2000, EU reacted quickly with the objective to facilitate the transitional period in

Serbia and to send clear message of support to the people and new government.

The City of Nis participated in the implementation of many EU financed projects under

a variety of financial instruments, including Community Assistance for Reconstruction,

Development and Stabilization (CARDS), macro-financial support and humanitarian aid

and now IPA. In time the nature of these projects shifted from assistance needed for

the resolving of urgent humanitarian and social issues, reconstruction and sanation of

the infrastructural system to achieving of macro-economical stabilization and society

reforms initiating the process of EU integration. The City of Nis has become less of

assistance beneficiary and more of partner to EU in the implementation of projects.

EUROREGION EUROBALKANS

Cross-border cooperation as means for reconciliation and regional development proved

to be an important tool for the integration and development process in Europe. At the

initiative of the Council of Europe, a long-term process was launched to foster trans-

frontier cooperation between the border regions of Bulgaria,FYROM and Serbia. The

overall objective of this initiative was to employ intensified cross-border cooperation

as a tool for regional economic development and integration within this Euroregion as

well as to foster conditions of prosperity, security and peaceful co-existence between

neighboring peoples and states.

A year after the first meeting of this region city and municipality representatives, the

Protocol on the Establishment of Intermunicipal and Regional Association, EU Region,

was signed in Skopje in October 2002. This Protocol represented the commitment of the

cities and municipalities from this region to intensify cooperation and participate actively

in the implementation of the project. With the expert help from Council of Europe, the

Statute was prepared as a unique legal framework for the functioning of this association

defining the structure and the ways of cooperation within the Euroregion. The Statute

was signed in September 2003 and Euroregion officially became EUROBALKANS.

EUROBALKANS consisted of three national associations from Serbia, Bulgaria and

FYROM comprising in total 66 cities and municipalities. The City of Nis was chosen to

preside over the EUROBALKANS for the following two years.

NIS CITY AND EU

Since 1994 the EU support initially went to NGOs and independent media in Serbia as form of support

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EXCHANGE I,II, III

City of Nis has strengthened its local government capacities according to EU

standards by implementing EXCHANGE projects which make local administration

decentralised, depoliticized, more professional and more efficient. We have

fostered the innovations and improvements in the local government sector by

learning from European best practices, by building human resource capacities

through a colleague-to-colleague approach in which local government expertise

from partnering EU countries is recruited, by improving the provision of communal

services to citizens and companies.

SPEAK EUROPEAN

City of Nis has been preparing itself to respond to all tasks which will be awaiting

the City once Serbian application for EU membership is accepted. One of many

activities undertaken by the city is the participation in the project Speak European

- Professional Development for Accession implemented by Serbian Office for EU

integrations and financed by European Union. Project implementation is led by the

British Council in a consortium with the European Institute of Public Administration

(EIPA), Maastricht, and the College of Europe (CoE), Bruges. 10% employees of

Nis City Administration received the grants for the professional training at EU

institutions, practical training courses and work-based experience in countries of

the European Union.

EUROPEAN CORNER

Nis City and NGO Center for Civil Society Development Protecta started the

project European House supported by EC Delegation in Serbia in 2005. The main

objective and vision of the project were to enable the citizens of Nis to better

understand European Union, as well as the process of EU integrations, which

would lead to better understanding of needed social reforms in Serbia on its path

towards European Union. The project was finalized in 2010. However, recognizing

the need of having an info point located at very heart of Nis, where our citizens

can be informed about European culture, European institutions, economy,

rights and many other EU related issues, City of Nis decide to continue with the

implementation of the project idea and thus European Corner has been opened.

EU Corner closely cooperates with embassies of all EU states in Belgrade as well

as with the Belgrade EU Information Center which is a project implemented by the

Delegation of the European Union in Belgrade, aimed at providing the public with

information about the European Union, EU institutions, and EU - Serbia relations.

www.kep.ni.rs

On the Road to EU

WHY CHOOSE CITY OF NISFOR A PARTNER IN A PROJECT?

With the implementation of regulation guillotine project the simplification of administrative

procedures and improvement of services provided to citizens and entrepreneurs have

been achieved. Applying the European methods, we have standardized administrative

procedures and enhanced the transparency of functioning. The procedure simplification

refers to elimination of the documents and changing the document form, decreasing

taxes and fees, shortening deadlines, the standardization of the forms used to apply for

different services provided by administration, introduction of e-forms.

We have improved city land property management. We have created adequate data

base of the land property to which the city is entitled which would serve for systematic

and planned management of the land sites with the final aim of encouraging economic

development. So we restructured the management and administering of those land

properties. We changed the very method of leasing the land to fit better legal and urban

planning and to respond directly to the needs of future investors. The City of Nis is the

first city in Serbia to develop the Feasibility Study of Leasing Construction Land Property

in line with new Law on Planning and Construction and based on the Ordinance issued

by the Republic of Serbia Government which anticipates leasing construction land free of

charge. Also, the model of cooperation between the Republic of Serbia Army and the City

of Nis on the project of converting military owned land property for civilian purposes is

the representative example of the cooperation between the RS Ministry of Defense and

local self – governments.

In the period of global economic crisis the City of Nis managed to attract investors and

to become the most wanted destination for new businesses in Serbia. After 20 years of

stalling, we are building factories again. The year of 2011 will be the first one after two

decades with the decreasing unemployment rate.

Present City Government is probably the first one that has not used

the alibi that local self-government is not in charge of economy on its

territory. The interest of investors in Nis is the direct consequence

of the changed attitude of local self government towards local

economic development.

City of Nis decided to take pro-

active role and a new phase

has started in the development

of this city.

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Nis City Development Strategy 2009-2020

Nis City Sustainable Development Action Plan 2010 -2014

Nis City Rural Area Development Strategy

Nis City Small and Medium Enterprises Development Strategy 2009 – 2013

Nis City Safety Strategy

Nis City Housing Strategy

Agenda 21 for Sustainable Development

Agenda 21 for Culture

Local Environmental Action plan (LEAP)

Business Friendly Environment Certificate that NALED awarded to Nis City testifies that

we are doing a good job. Nis City ranked high in a select group of local communities in

Serbia which are dedicated to longterm economic development and that due to consistent

reforms of the municipal administration, managed to create conditions favorable for

business development and influx of investors. This certificate among other things prove

that a lot of has been done to set things in motion. We welcome to our communities the

international companies such as Benetton, Yura Corporation, Dytech F&F Serbia, Haj

Ararat. If we sum up the entire commercial and production projects realised during the

period of one year together with the ones whose realisation is certain Nis will have 42 new

companies hiring 8000 workers. The total value of these projects is 337 million Euros.

Strategic planning of the local community future development is important factor which

indicates the responsibility of Nis City local self-government towards its citizens. Strategic

planning enables better quality of life for our citizens, creates beter city economy, more

favourable business climate, better productivity.

The City of Nis adopted several official strategic documents:

On the Road to EU

OFFICE FOR LOCAL ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

the business sector and the City Administration and the main instrument for attracting

investments with the task of improving the local economic development, attracting

new investments by providing assistance through the investment process, providing

support to local business sector, promoting entrepreneurship and creating favorable

preconditions for improving the quality of life and Nic City economic development.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

This council has been formed with the objective of supervising the realisation of the

plans and programs of local economic development, providing the initiatives and

opinions related to economic development priorities, monitoring the activities of Nis City

business potential promotion and considering the strategies for economic development.

The members of the EDC have been selected out of business community, experts in the

economy field and the leaders of the professional associations.

RDA SOUTH

Regional Development Association SOUTH - RDA SOUTH was established in August,

2009. The founding contract was signed by the representatives from the City of Nis, eleven

(11) municipalities from the districts of Nisava, Pirot and Toplica, three (3) companies and

seven (7) civil sector organisations. RDA SOUTH is established out of need of all actors to

participate actively in solving the local problems and promoting the regional development

by stimulating healthy business environment and by creating new jobs which would lead

to the improvement of the life quality in the region.

The objective of RDA SOUTH is to provide support to institutional efforts to achieve

comprehensive and sustainable development of the districts of Nisava, Pirot and Toplica

via building of the professional HR capacities and grounds for attracting direct foreign

investments, networking and cooperating with other regional, national and international

institutions in accordance with the process of EU integration.

OUR RESOURCES

www.kler.ni.rs

www.ora-jug.rs

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UNIVERSITY OF NIS

The quality of intellectual capital in the city is based on educational system generating

well-educated, fast learning, multilingual and IT literate people dedicated to lifelong

learning. Since the University of Nis was founded in 1965, 49512 students have graduated,

2254 master thesis and 1275 doctoral dissertations have been defended at 13 Faculties.

There is a growing number of private faculties. Not surprisingly schools of higher

learning excel in those areas where the region has a traditional comparative advantage,

such as engineering, physics, and IT.

SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANISTICSFaculty of Economics

Faculty of Law

Teacher-Training Faculty

Faculty of Philosophy

Faculty of Sport and Physical Education

MEDICAL SCIENCESFaculty of Medicine

ARTSFaculty of Fine Arts

TECHNICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture

Faculty of Electronic Engineering

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Technology

Faculty of Occupational Safety

NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS Faculty of Science and Mathematics

www.ni.ac.rs

On the Road to EU

CLUSTER OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES

Nis City supports new trends in business networking and strongly believes that

establishment and development of professional clusters should be priority in local

government planning and should be integrated in local development concept. 19

companies dealing with the production of electronic and electro mechanic devices as well

as with information and communication technologies formed cluster Ni-CAT. Besides the

local companies the cluster members are the institutions which are supporting those

companies: University of Nis Faculty of Electronics and Mechanics, Regional Chamber

of Commerce Nis, Business Incubator Nis and Regional Development Association South.

The objectives of associating into cluster are the operational support to cluster members

in implementing development projects; presenting of Serbia and the City of Nis to

international and local general public as important destination for doing business in

the field of electronic and informational technology industry; promotion of research and

scientific activities and development of new technological products and services as well

as development of new markets and business operations for all cluster members.

TECHNOLOGY PARK AND INCUBATOR TEHNIS NIS

City of Nis has excellent potentials for industrial and logistic complexes. Taking into

consideration the fact that it used to be the city of electronic industry, TEHNIS Nis

represents the attempt of recovering this position relying on intellectual potentials

which can be found in the experienced engineers and workers coming from the area of

electronic equipment manufacturing, ICT fields and mechanical industry. According to

these potentials, Technology Park and Incubator TEHNIS Nis is being developed in a form

of technology center and incubator within the industrial zones of a national importance.

www.nicat.irvas.co.rs

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BUSINESS INCUBATOR CENTER

Business Incubator Center - BIC has been set up in the frame of the project ENTRANSE

– Private Sector Development - financed by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The

project objective was establishing the business incubator and implementing the training

programme for starting business with a clearly defined strategy to gradually grow into

an industrial park. The basic concept of BIC is best explained in their mission aiming to

“help the development of small and medium-size entrepreneurship through providing

business premises, offering business and other services in the most critical stages

of company development and thus influence the rise of employment and become a

respectable initiator of the economic development of the Nis region. BIC has the capacity

to accommodate 24 tenants.

REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NIS

The Region of Nis is one of the biggest economic areas regarding large industrial textile,

chemical, mechanical, tobacco and electronic industries. It is also well-known for its

transport, tourist and catering companies. Nis Regional Chamber of Commerce covers

the area of 7867km2 in the southeast part of Serbia and encompasses three districts

- Nisava, Pirot and Toplica. Its main task is the promotion of regional economy in the

country and abroad.

It provides information to its members in order to find business partners abroad and

connects them, thus improving bilateral and multilateral relations.

www.bicnis.org.rs

www.rpknis.rs

City of Nis will be a good host to domestic and foreign partners and it will present the Imperial

Nis in its best as the City which is ready to adopt new ideas, initiatives, plans.

On the Road to EU

In Rome, the most powerful empire of the ancient world, almost three centuries after the

birth of Jesus Christ only 5% of the population was Christian. At that time Constantine

was born in Nis. When his reign began, the Empire was pagan. His visions and dreams

in which Labarum or Monogram of Christ appeared followed by the words – With This

Sign You Shall Win – In Hoc Signo Vinces – led him to many victories. In 313, Roman

Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius announced that it was proper that the

Christians and all others should have liberty to follow that mode of religion which to each

of them appeared best, thereby granting tolerance to all religions, including Christianity.

The Edict of Milan made the Empire officially neutral with regard to religious worship; it

neither made paganism illegal nor made Christianity the state religion.

Initiating the campaign of announcing the celebration of 2013, the City of Nis organised

the conference dedicated to the presentations of the experiences and lessons learned

in the field of research, protection, valorisation and promotion of cultural heritage in

Istanbul (Turkey), Carnuntum - Vienna (Austria), York (Great Britain) and Nis (Serbia).

the objective to join efforts in the organisation of this big jubilee. It also represents the

continuation of the cooperation initiated at the Archeological Park Carnuntum Symposium

within the project of Carnuntum Emperors Who Changed the World which focuses on

division of Roman Empire into Tetrarchy - Rule of Four. Constantine the Great was one of

those new Tetrarchs. This change altered and engraved our world and culture.

Also the international conference entitled Edict of Milan Everlasting Value and Permanent

gathering was CIVIS - Association of Non-governmental Organisation of Southeast

Europe in partnership with Austrian Foundation Pro Oriente and with the support of

Swiss Peace Foundation, Serbian Orthodox Church and City of Nis. This international

conference gathered prominent historians and theorists dedicated to the study of times,

role and personality of Constantine the Great with the objective to explain to the broader

public the importance of the Edict of Milan, both in the past and present times.

The message which should be sent from the City of Constantine is the message of

tolerance. In our society tolerance is often perceived as weakness. On the contrary,

tolerance, in its very essence, is the strength to accept the diversity which exist in

cultures all around the world”, as Mayor Simonović says.

City of Nis

City of CONSTANTINE The most important person from

Nis is the great ruler of Rome,

a crucially important figure of

European and world history,

the founder of Byzantium, who

convened and presided over the

First Ecumenical Council, the most

influential politician in world history,

whose vision marked the beginning

of Christian expansion – Constantine

the Great. He was well known not

only as great Roman emperor and

wise military leader, but also as a

great visionary.

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