In Focus: Programme & Municipalites: MEDVEDJA

Medveđa is located in the Jablanica District in southern Serbia, just over a three-hour drive from both Belgrade and Skopje. Its position makes it easily accessible from two capitals while preserving the calm pace of a small municipality.

Let’s address the elephant in the room first. Medveđa is one of the least developed municipalities in Serbia. The town itself has around 3,000 residents, while the municipality recorded 3,360 inhabitants in the 2022 census. This is only one quarter of its population compared to 1961. These figures clearly show long-term demographic change. However, numbers alone do not tell the full story. However, life cannot be reduced to statistics.

Beyond the data, a different reality appears. For the nearly 1,000 families living in Medveđa, daily life can feel almost idyllic to people coming from large cities. Everything needed for everyday life is within a 5 to 15-minute walk. Shops, schools, public services, and health facilities are all close by. As a result, life here feels practical, familiar, and accessible.

Employment mainly depends on agriculture and small local services. At the same time, health tourism is becoming an increasingly promising sector. The public sector also remains one of the most stable employers. This includes the municipal administration, schools, kindergartens, the health center, and public utility companies.

In Medveđa, like everywhere else, people make the difference. The municipality has highly qualified staff with experience in project writing and project implementation. More importantly, they are proactive. They do not wait for opportunities. Instead, they actively initiate projects, events, and partnerships.

This became especially visible during a project implemented within our Programme, Green Energy .  Although it was their first experience with a Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) project, the local team approached the process with professionalism, openness, and responsibility. Throughout implementation, they continuously consulted, adapted, and improved their work. In the end, they proved to be a reliable and committed project partner.

Part of this success comes from the local way of working. In Medveđa, planning and decision-making involve relevant local stakeholders. This creates a strong sense of shared responsibility. In a small community, people know the final beneficiaries of activities personally. Therefore, projects are never seen as serving individual interests only. Achievements belong to the whole community and are felt collectively.

Strategic Potential for Sustainable Development

The key objectives of the #CBC RS-MK Programme focus on:

• improving social and cultural inclusion and health, and
• improving cultural and natural heritage towards sustainable tourism development.

In this context, Medveđa has strong development potential.

Beyond its size and demographic trends, the municipality offers valuable assets: dedicated people, local traditions, natural resources, and a favorable environment for tourism.

If developed strategically, these strengths can support stronger community cohesion and a more sustainable local economy.