European Union consigned one million euros to the Municipality of Svilajnac for the reconstruction after the May floods, said today EU Ambassador to Serbia Michael Davenport following his visit to kindergarten “Dečja radost” in Svilajnac, whose reconstruction was financed by the EU, as well as a visit to families that will obtain new or reconstructed homes thanks to EU funds. Davenport has also attended the signing of the agreement on EU assistance with local farmers.
Davenport visited the reconstruction works on “Dečja radost“ kindergarten’s biggest facility, funded by the EU with 230.000 euros. Reconstruction works include replacing the joinery, flooring, plastering, painting, paving, facade and roof repair, and will be done in November.
European Union has allocated grants aimed at removing the flood consequences in the only kindergarten in Svilajnac. So far, the technical cabinets facility within Gymnasium has been reconstructed, whereas the reconstruction works on Agricultural-veterinary school are underway. The total value of renovation of these objects in Svilajnac will amount to some 360.000 euros, Davenport said.
In Svilajnac, the EU is reconstructing 74 and constructing nine houses for families who lost the roof over their heads during the floods, Davenport said, adding that an agreement would be signed soon with Srbijavode for the construction of embankment in order to prevent floods similar to those that occurred in May.
Construction works on these houses, to be funded with 615.000 euros through the EU assistance for flood relief in Serbia programme, will start by the end of October.
Davenport has also visited the Lazic family, the family of the late miner Zeljko Miletic, that will obtain a new house.
Lazic family suffered a lot this year. First, they were left with no home as it had been destroyed by flood, and then after a few months, they lost their husband and father. Unfortunately, one cannot compensate a life lost, but I do hope that a new roof over their heads will provide these wonderful children with an opportunity of living decent lives and growing into good and diligent people, Davenport said.
All families, including the Lazic family, are chosen in September in line with precisely defined methodology, so that the assistance may reach those who need it most. Some 900 most vulnerable families in 24 municipalities hardest hit by floods will be provided with reconstruction of houses and construction of new homes by the EU, the EU Ambassador added.
He has also visited the family Ilic that was provided with wheat seeds by the EU, after which he attended the signing of the contracts on EU assistance with local farmers.
Today, 193 agricultural households received winter crop packages containing 250 kilos of wheat seeds and 300 kilos of mineral fertiliser. European Union provide the assistance worth eight million euros to some 15.000 agricultural households via EU assistance for flood relief in Serbia.
Thereby, the farmers will be able to recover their orchards, vegetable gardens and crop fields, to replace the equipment, repair their machines and receive the lost livestock.
In months to come, a total of some 600 households in Svilajnac will receive fruit seedlings, livestock and animal food, agricultural equipment, green houses and other necessary resources. To this purpose, we have allocated around 140.000 euros, Davenport said.
Out of IPA funds, the EU had allocated 30 million euros for flooded regions in Serbia, as well as that additional 60 million euros would be allocated through EU Solidarity Fund, Davenport said.
Additional 50 million, as he pointed out, will be aimed at prevention, strengthening of flood protection system.
President of the Svilajnac Municipality Predrag Milanovic thanked Davenport for EU’s assistance, stressing that thanks to that assistance, the life returned to normal much faster.
Apart from the EU, reconstruction in Svilajnac was supported by Novak Djokovic Foundation and B92 Fund.
The European Union helps the renovation and construction of houses in Svilajnac
