EU Ambassador to Serbia Michael Davenport and Serbian government Office for Reconstruction and Flood Relief Director Marko Blagojevic visited three EU-funded households, reconstructed after being damaged in the May 2014 floods. They also delivered furniture and appliances to these families. Through its EU Assistance for Flood Relief programme, European Union have allocated some 350.000 euros to finance the reconstruction and construction of 23 houses, and provide support to three enterprises and some 700 agricultural producers in Smederevska Palanka.
Davenport and Blagojevic visited the Kajtazovic, Palic and Dobrivojevic families, to whom they delivered furniture and appliances.
“A lot of joint efforts were invested by the State, municipalities and donors in order to conduct the process of renovation and construction across flooded areas. Thanks to EU funds, we have managed to help more than 600 families whose homes were damaged. European Union, being the biggest donor in Serbia over the course of flood recovery, will continue to finance not only reconstruction projects, but prevention as well, in order to prevent floods in the future,” Ambassador Davenport said.
“So far, the State has supported financially 17.500 families, but this is not enough. This is why the European Union’s assistance to Serbia is so valuable. This work is not done yet, not until all families are returned to new or reconstructed houses,” said Blagojevic.
“I am very grateful to European Union for its assistance worth 350.000 euros aimed at recovery of Smederevska Palanka, which will be used to construct three houses, reconstruct 20 households and support agricultural producers and small enterprises,” said Smederevska Palanka Mayor Radoslav Milojicic.
Within the project component that deals with providing assistance to small enterprises hit by floods, equipment was delivered to furniture manufacturer “Izvor stil paneli” in order to restart its production.
“This kind of small enterprises have opportunity to expand their operation and create jobs. European Union will provide assistance to more than 100 similar Serbian companies, so as to restore the economy at local level, and therefore ensure jobs,” Davenport said.
“We have received the device called ‘dust collector’, a valuable EU donation, given that this machine keeps both our employees and environment healthy. Ten members of my own family depend on enterprise’s operation, and we can now count on being able to expand our production,” said Milos Radovanovic, the owner of “Izvor stil paneli”.
Ambassador Davenport attended the delivery of animal feed packages to 53 agricultural households. So far, 280 agricultural producers in Smederevska Palanka received autumn sowing packages and fruit seedlings, whereas in the coming months, agricultural equipment, wheat seeds and fertilisers for spring sowing, greenhouses and livestock are scheduled for delivery.
“Agriculture is primary activity of residents of Smederevska Palanka, therefore EU assistance is one of the top priorities in flood relief. Agricultural producers have already obtained winter wheat packages and fruit seedlings, which were delivered right on time for sowing and planting,” Davenport said.
