European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi has announced a package of measures to support Serbia in the fight against Coronavirus
The package includes financial assistance worth 93 millions euros
Immediate measures: 15 millions euros.
- transport of emergency medical equipment and supplies that Serbia acquires abroad;
- purchase of additional emergency medical equipment and supplies (such as respirators, masks, gloves etc.) for the use of medical staff and the general population;
Other immediate needs agreed with Government for health and social care.
Short and medium term measures: 78 millions euros
– support jobs and small and medium enterprises
Package also includes:
- additional initiatives to be taken with IFI to address liquidity and financial problems of the private sector and the use of EU regional facilities;
- measures to address issues affecting supply and circulation of essential goods within WB and with the EU;
- activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism;
- the extension to Serbia of the EU Solidarity Fund.
Measures under the package are already operative: the first cargo financed by the European Union with emergency equipment and supplies acquired by Serbia is currently on its way and is due to arrive in Nikola Tesla Airport on Thursday 26 March.
European Union in Serbia
The European Union is the biggest investor, trade partner and donor to Serbia. Since the beginning of Serbia’ accession talks in 2014, the EU citizens have donated to Serbian citizens almost 2 billion euros of non-refundable grants to Support the modernisation of the country.
Only in the health sector, what the EU has done with Serbia in the last 20 years is fundamental. The EU donated above 200 Million euros and loaned 250 million others to make the health system in Serbia stronger. This is the basis which is going to help Serbia overcome the COVID-19 virus.
