▁from ▁Ni š ▁to ▁Sof ia ▁with ▁fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁St ability ▁P act ▁for ▁South ▁Eastern ▁Europe . ▁This ▁project ▁was ▁in def initely ▁post pon ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁when ▁the ▁European ▁In vest ment ▁Bank ▁with h eld ▁fund ing , ▁stating ▁that ▁demand ▁for ▁the ▁highway ▁was ▁ins u fficient ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁project ▁would ▁not ▁quickly ▁rec oup ▁its ▁initial ▁losses . ▁Not with standing ▁this , ▁ Ć iri ć ▁and ▁the ▁may ors ▁of ▁Sof ia ▁and ▁Sk op je , ▁Republic ▁of ▁Mac ed onia , ▁signed ▁an ▁agreement ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁e ur or eg ion ▁cent red ▁around ▁their ▁communities ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁▁ Ć iri ć ▁was ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁P erman ent ▁Conference ▁of ▁the ▁C ities ▁and ▁Municipal ities ▁in ▁Y ug oslav ia ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁mayor . ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁signed ▁an ▁accord ▁with ▁a ▁representative ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁Municipal ities ▁in ▁Bulg aria ▁for ▁greater ▁co operation ▁between ▁the ▁local ▁govern ments ▁of ▁both ▁countries . ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁ Ć iri ć ▁reached ▁an ▁agreement ▁with ▁Radio ▁Television ▁of ▁Ser bia ▁for ▁Radio ▁Ni š ▁to ▁be ▁priv at ized ▁after ▁one ▁year ▁of ▁trans itional ▁fund ing . ▁He ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁Sm il j ko ▁Kost ić ▁of ▁New ▁Ser bia ▁by ▁a ▁significant ▁margin ▁in ▁the ▁October ▁ 2 0 0