Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Deputy Chief of EU Delegation to Serbia Oscar Benedict attended the launch of construction works on the reconstruction of the Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj primary school in Obrenovac.

This is the first of around 30 public facilities damaged in May 2014 floods whose reconstruction would be financed as a part of the Program of the European’s Union Support to Flood Relief in Serbia, carried out by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The Jovan Jovanović Zmaj primary school has over 1,500 pupils, which makes it the largest educational facility in Obrenovac damaged during the floods in May 2014.

According to the plan, the reconstruction worth around EUR 147,000 would last 59 days, and would include plastering, putting in floorboards and woodworks, painting and electrician’s work.

Underway is a tender procedure for the selection of contractors in four more schools in Obrenovac – primary schools Jefimija and Posavski partizani, Agricultural and Chemical School, and Technical School – while the Gymnasium would first have to have a geo-mechanic study drafted, as a basis for the reconstruction project.

“With financial aid from the European Union, Serbia started reconstructing public facilities, among them most important being schools. We managed to procure construction work permit as soon as possible and now it is our obligation to stick to the procedure regarding the spending as envisaged by European procedures,” said prime minister Aleksandar Vucic.

“Through the Program of Support to Flood Relief in Serbia, the European Union would allocate clost to EUR 700,000 for the reconstruction of six schools in Obrenovac. Several months ago we promised money, and through this reconstruction we now see its concrete usage. The European Union is now allocating EUR 30 million for the recovery of 24 municipalities from the damage, and soon additional EUR 50 million should be allocated for the prevention from floods. We expect the first works on construction of homes in Obrenovac to start next week,” said deputy chief of the EU Delegation to Serbia Oscar Benedict.

“The floods damaged the whole ground floor of the school in which library, faculty room, kitchen and many classrooms were also damaged. The pupils would attend classes as of the beginning of school year on the first floor, while the works are underway,” said the school’s principal Vera Djordjevic.

The delegation that visited the construction site included Minister of Education, Science and Technical Development Srdjan Verbic, Minister of Defence Bratislav Gasic, Minister without portfolio in charge of European integration Jadranka Joksimovic, chief of Office for Assistance and Reconstruction of Flood Relief Marko Blagojevic, Mayor of Belgrade Sinisa Mali and Mayor of Obrenovac Miroslav Cuckovic.

The EU’s Programme of Support to Flood Relief in Serbia, worth 30 million EUR, is financed by the European Union from IPA pre-accession funds. The money is allocated for building new homes, reconstruction of state institutions, private houses, roads and revitalizing economy and agriculture in 24 municipalities hit the most by floods: Bajina Basta, Valjevo, Varvarin, Velika Plana, Jagodina, Kosjeric, Koceljeva, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krupanj, Lazarevac, Loznica, Ljubovija, Mali Zvornik, Obrenovac, Osecina, Paracin, Svilajnac, Smederevska Palanka, Trstenik, Ub, Cacak, Sabac and Sid.

All activities in the field are carried out by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), organisations HELP and ASB, as well as Danish Refugee Council (DRC) – in coordination with Serbian Government’s Office for Assistance and Reconstruction of Flooded Areas.

For more information please contact:

Petar Janjatovic

Communications Mangae of the UNOPS

Mobile phone: +381 (0) 63 862 2780

E-mail: petarj@unops.org