More than 35,000 Serbian citizens who have endured consequences of May 2014 catastrophic floods, now enjoy better living, educational, working and earning conditions thanks to EU’s assistance worth EUR30 million.
In a year’s period, European Union has financed construction of 143 houses and reconstruction of 828 homes in 33 municipalities for the families whose property had been destroyed or damaged, thus achieving the main goal of EU Assistance for flood Relief in Serbia Programme. All of the new houses have been equipped with basic furniture and appliances, given that majority of families lost their entire property to the floods.
More than 18,000 agricultural households received assistance in the form of wheat seeds, fertilisers, fruit seedlings, animal feed and machinery, in order to restart their production. Assistance also reached 442 entrepreneurs and companies, providing them with raw and construction material for the reconstruction of premises, thus making sure over 350 people went back to or saved their jobs.
14 elementary/high schools and one kindergarten have been successfully reconstructed in Obrenovac, Paracin and Sabac, providing better learning and working environment for 13,130 children, pupils and teachers. Furthermore, water supply system in Trstenik has been renovated, ensuring normal supply of potable water for some 15,000 citizens of this Municipality.
“By allocating EUR30 million, European Union is the biggest supporter of post-flood recovery in Serbia, with additional funds being prepared for new reconstruction and prevention projects in order to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. Delegation of the European Union to Serbia is very proud of the results achieved over the past year, but also of successful cooperation with Serbian Government and flood-stricken municipalities. The past year has been a year of hard reconstruction work, and I am extremely delighted to see that today, tens of thousands of citizens enjoy better living, learning and working conditions,” said Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia Michael Davenport.
European Union will continue to support agricultural producers, public facilities and families and finance flood-prevention projects in the coming months.
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 the construction of new homes, reconstruction of state institutions, private houses, roads and revitalising economy and agriculture in 24 municipalities hardest hit the 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 site activities 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.
