Mayor Dragoljub Davidović signed on February 10 the Covenant of Mayors, which obliges European local communities to undertake activities aiming at reducing green house gas emissions and fighting climate change.

"Banja Luka is the first city from Bosnia and Herzegovina that joined the initiative", Mayor Davidović said, stressing out that the signing ceremony, which took place in the European Parliament Hemicycle, was attended by the representatives of about 220 European cities with the presence of highest EU Officials. Banja Luka was the only city from Bosnia and Herzegovina present at the ceremony. 

"Mitigating climate change effects cannot be a process taking place on the territory of a municipality or a city - it should be a global process that all of us should commit to", Mayor Davidović said.

He also said that the Covenant comprised certain commitments to be taken to by local communities, as well as the support of European institutions in regard to the financing and implementation of certain projects.

The Mayor stressed out the commitment from the Covenant to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% until 2020.

"Our goal is to make the action plan within a year, but Banja Luka cannot do it on its own. It is necessary to engage all the local communities in the process through the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Republic of Srpska, and to make a strategy at the country and entity levels", Mayor said. 

Banja Luka`s signing the Covenant came as a result of its membership to EUROCITIES, the network of major European cities.