DESCRIPTION OF MUNICIPALITY’S AREA
The Municipality of Serres is the capital of the prefecture of Serres, which is geographically located in Northern Greece (and has the largest population in Northern Greece) and is also the second largest city of the Region of Central Macedonia. The city of Serres has high level settlement functions and is one of the most important urban centers of the country. It operates not only as a growth pole for the wider valley of Serres, but also as a cross-border cooperation center, taking advantage of its geographical position, population size and the possibility of developing administrative infrastructure and interbalkan character initiatives. It also holds a position of great importance both to the inter-regional road axis of Serres- Drama-Kavala and the inter-regional / international road network of Thessaloniki- Promahonas which connects Greece witjh Bulgaria and the inter-regional / prefectural road network of Serres-Lahana-Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki-Kilkis-Serres and Thessaloniki- Asprovalta-Eleftheroupolis-Serres-Nea Zihni-Asprovalta.
The municipality has an area of 601.49 square kilometers and it borders with the Municipality of Sintiki to the North, with the Municipality of Emmanuel Pappas to the North- east, with the Municipality of Irakleia to the North-west and with the Municipality of Visaltia to the South. The population of Serres amounts to 76,817 inhabitants with a population density of 50.6 per km². The road distance between Serres and Thessaloniki is 80 km while the road distance between Serres and the borders of Bulgaria is 35 km.
HISTORICAL – CULTURAL INFORMATION
The city of Serres, investing in the development of a local productive identity that combines historical, cultural, economic, and social characteristics, is among the top urban tourism destinations. Some of the most important tourist sights of the Municipality of Serres are: the Acropolis of Serres (Koulas), the Monastery of Timios Prodromos of Serres, the Monastery of Panagia Vyssiani, the Old Cathedral of Serres, the Church of Agios Nicholaos, the Ahmett Pasha Mosque , the Zincirli Mosque and the Koca Mustafa Pasha Mosque, the Archaeological Museum , the Natural History Museum, the Folklore Museum of Vlachs called Georgakis Olympios, the Museum of the Holy Monastery of Timios Prodromos, the Ecclesiastical Museum of Serres, the Sarakatsani Folk Museum, the Folk Museum of the Lyceum Club of Greek Women, and the Olive Museum.
AREAS UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The Municipality has an unspoilt natural environment with a rich biodiversity of rare flora, fauna and fish fauna. Many areas of Serres participate in the NATURA 2000 network. The protected by NATURA 2000 areas and designated as Special Protection Areas (SPA) are: Lake Kerkini – the Mountain tops of Beles, Agkistro, Haropo, Agios Ioannis-Eptamyloi, the Mountain Tops of Mount Orvelos, the Mountain Tops of Menikion ,Kouskouras, Ipsoma, Vrontou, Lailias, Epimikes, the embouchure of Strimonas river, the artificial Lake of Kerkini – Krousia mountain, the Valley of Timios Prodromos .
LOCAL ECONOMY
The Municipality of Serres participates in the national GDP at a rate exceeding 1%, namely 1.54%, while its participation in the Regional GDP is 6.62%. In connection with the municipality's physiognomy, the city of Serres concentrates all those characteristics that define it as a modern urban, administrative, commercial, transport and tourist center of international scope, while in the peripheral settlements there are strong qualitative agro-pastoral characteristics.
Surface waters play an important role in the economic and social development of the municipality, since the streams of St. Barbara, St. George and St. Anargyroi flow through and around the city. The Valley of Saint Anargyroi is located in the north of the city of Serres. It is 2 km away from the city center and there are many sports facilities (including the indoor swimming pool that stands out due to its architectural construction and the Municipal Gym of Serres), where several competitions are held (local, panhellenic, pan-european, etc.). Among the sports facilities, there are also open football (5×5) fields and basketball and tennis courts. Furthermore, there are dining and entertainment centers, such as bars and restaurants across the street of the Valley of Saint Anargyroi which are open during the summer months.
ADMINISTRATIVE STATUS
The Municipality of Serres was reformed according to “Kallikratis Program” , which is a major administrative reform that took place in Greece in 2010. (Greek Law 3852/2010). According to “Kallikratis Program”, the Municipality of Serres which is based in Serres, consists of the following municipalities which were consequently abolished: Serres, Kapetan Mitrousi, Lefkonas, Skoutari and the local communities of Ano Vrontou and Oreini. The Municipality of Serres, is one of the seven Municipalities that belong to the Regional Unit of Serres (part of the Region of Central Macedonia) and these are the Municipalities of Sintiki, Visaltia, Emmanouil Pappas, Amfipoli, Nea Zihni, Irakleia and Serres. The Municipality of Serres belongs administratively to the Decentralized Administration of Central Macedonia.
LEGAL STATUS & ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
The Municipality is a Local Authority and according to the Internal Operating Regulation consists of the following Divisions/Independent Departments:
• General Division
• Administrative Services Division
• Economic Services Division
• Technical Services Division
• Development and Agricultural Economy Division
• Social Protection, Health, Education and Culture Division
• Cleaning Services Division
• Center Citizen Services Division
• Information and Communication Technology Department
• European Programs and Development Department
• Urban Planning Department
The Municipality’s tasks are also supported by several municipal Legal Entities under private and public law.
The Municipality’s workforce consists of 351 employees.
- Role of Municipality of Serres in the project
Delivery and development of a communication plan/ protocol - Development and delivery of a website and online strategy
- Organization of a “White -Shared” Training Week and delivery of a report
- Supply of a smart education equipment
- Development of S.W.O.T analysis report , social economy networking report and social cooperation enterprise manual
- Supply of a wood shredder and equipment to be used for the composting
- Development of guidelines on maximizing the environmental and socioeconomic benefits of social cooperative enterprising network
- Organisation of a public awareness campaign of regional level on the SCE concept as well as biowaste composting
