Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport visited Obrenovac where he delivered EU assistance to 400 agricultural households, toured the reconstruction works on one of the schools and one of the houses whose reconstruction is funded the EU.
Together with Serbian Government, municipalities and civil society representatives European Union want to achieve effective results in the post-flood reconstruction as soon as possible, said Davenport in Obrenovac after he had delivered 128 tons of animal food, around 320 kilos to each of 400 households.
EU is the top Serbian partner in dealing with flood damage and has already sent tangible assistance to the most vulnerable people in Obrenovac and other 25 flooded municipalities, Ambassador Davenport said, stressing that agricultural sector is among the top three priority areas along with local infrastructure reconstruction and, above all, schools and private houses reconstruction.
Davenport visited the reconstruction site of Agricultural-chemical school in Obrenovac, that should be entirely reconstructed by 5 October.
The reconstruction of this school was funded by the EU and according to Davenport, it is quite an achievement that it became operational on 1 September.
“The assistance does not end here; the EU has allocated significant IPA funds for the reconstruction of schools. We have provided EUR40.000 for the first stage of this school’s reconstruction, but we are still to provide the equipment and fund gymnasium reconstruction, both of which are stages in the reconstruction project,” said Davenport adding that the EU was funding the reconstruction of 30 schools in total.
Minister without portfolio in charge with European integration Jadranka Joksimović said that “significant part of the reconstruction funds in Obrenovac and across Serbia flows through IPA funds”.
“I thank to European Union for speeding up the procedures that helped us apply for the funds,” Joksimović said.
She stressed that the IPA funds must be spent transparently and noted that Government Office for reconstruction and flood relief and European Commission would be in charge with monitoring money spending.
Davenport and Joksimović have also visited the Nešić family who lost their home during the May floods and whose new home is being constructed thanks to EU funds.
