The European Union, through the European Commission’s Directorate General for Humanitarian Assistance and Civil Protection (ECHO), is to release further emergency humanitarian aid of €13 million, aimed at supporting refugees along the Western Balkans route. The support will principally go to refugees in Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
“Given the harsh winter conditions many refugees are facing along the Western Balkans route, this additional humanitarian aid will provide people in need with key essentials such as temporary shelter, food, health, water and sanitation. It will help reduce the pressure on the over-stretched capacities of the most affected countries,” said EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides.
The new funding has been made available following the decision of the European Parliament, which is set to be formally approved by the Council next week. The funding will top up humanitarian aid already provided to the Western Balkans in 2015.
Background:
EU assistance to Serbia explained:
The extra funds of €13 million announced today by ECHO come in addition to the €8.74 million of humanitarian aid allocated previously for Serbia and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Ongoing ECHO-funded projects in Serbia are already delivering temporary shelter, water, food, primary health care, psycho-social support, protection as well as winter clothing. There is a special focus on the needs of children which make up an ever growing share of refugees travelling through the region.
Video: UNICEF testimonial on EU aid in northern Serbia (3 December 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FHUWi-Tgzw
In September 2015, EU Delegation to Serbia and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency allocated €237.000 out of PROGRES Programme to meet additional needs. Garbage bins and sanitary material have been delivered to Presevo Reception Centre. Garbage truck will be delivered in early 2016.
In addition, under EU’s pre-accession funds (IPA), the European Commission in October adopted a €7 million special assistance package for Serbia to help manage the unprecedented refugee influx. The EU Delegation to Serbia, together with its implementing partners, started implementing the package in November 2015. The funds are aimed at increasing operational capacity of relevant national and local authorities in Serbia and the purchase of equipment needed to support the refugees. For more information: https://europa.rs/eng/start-of-implementation-of-new-eu-aid-package-of-e7-million-to-help-serbia-deal-with-refugee-crisis/
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the bank of the European Union, contributed €5 million as a grant to the Migrants and Refugee Fund (MRF) recently founded by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). This enabled CEB to grant, at the end of October, €2.3 million to the Serbian Government for improving living conditions for refugees and migrants in reception centres.
