On October 30, 2024, a roundtable on the implementation of sustainable development goals in local environmental protection policy documents was held at the Regional Development Center in Užice. The event was organized by the Teachers’ Association “Opstanak” from Užice and the Zlatiborski Krug from Čajetina, as part of the “Green Initiative for the Local Community” project. The roundtable was a part of the Green Initiative project, which is being carried out by the Zlatiborski Krug Citizens’ Association from Čajetina in cooperation with the Teachers’ Association “Opstanak” from Užice and in partnership with the local governments of Užice and Čajetina.

The goal of the roundtable was to bring together representatives from local authorities, civil associations, and all relevant organizations and institutions from Užice that deal with environmental protection and sustainable development, in order to initiate a dialogue on urgent issues in these areas and ways to improve environmental protection through the implementation of sustainable development goals in local policies. Participants included representatives from the city administration, the City Council, the Department of Agriculture, the Department for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, the Green Council, the Municipal Police, the Public Health Institute, the Užice Development Public Utility Company, the Užice Waterworks, the Duboko Bioktoš Public Utility Company, the Teachers’ Association “Opstanak,” and others. Each of them spoke about the problems faced by the citizens of Užice, particularly regarding the environmental accident at the “Duboko” landfill, and the steps being taken to resolve these issues.

Aleksandar Rafailović, a representative of the Municipal Police, explained that the police face difficulties in sanctioning inappropriate behavior because there is no legal framework to guide their actions. Svetlana Drakul from the Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development informed the roundtable participants about the activities this department has undertaken in recent years. The Air Quality Plan was adopted in 2020, and an analysis of the implementation of the previous Local Environmental Action Plan (LEAP) is currently being conducted. Sectoral plans will be developed on waste management, water quality, soil quality, noise, etc. These activities are part of the preparation for the Environmental Protection Program. It was emphasized that a Working Group for the development of the Environmental Protection Program has been established in Užice. This group is responsible for collecting and systematizing data, overseeing the preparation and implementation of the Environmental Protection Program in Užice, and submitting the draft of the Program to the City Council.

The conclusion of the roundtable was that the city now has the opportunity to change its approach to waste management, a pressing issue in Užice, as well as other environmental problems, by incorporating sustainable development goals into local documents that regulate this area, primarily into the Environmental Protection Program. The “Green Initiative for the Local Community” project is being implemented as part of the Sustainable Local Development Fund program, implemented within the “SDGs for All” Platform.