Successful completion of “Right to Home” project, implemented by European Union, Commissariat for Refugees and Municipality of Mladenovac, was marked by granting house keys to grantees.

The 103.000 euros-worth project “Right to Home”, jointly implemented by EU, local government and Commissariat for Refugees, was launched in 2013 and completed on 25 January 2015. EU and Commissariat’s contributions amounted to 84.000 and 1.200.000 respectively, whereas municipality of Mladenovac contribution was 8.738 euros.

The funds sufficed construction material for 15 families. Two of the families received prefabricated houses , whereas six families received assistance in the form technical and agricultural equipment. Also, over 30 families underwent training focused on writing of business plan.

Dejan Cokic, President of the Municipality, handed the keys to prefabricated houses to the families of Petkovic Novica and Orlovic Dobrivoje, on behalf of the Municipality of Mladenovac.

“In these rough times, moments such as this one, when I can announce good news on behalf of the Municipality of Mladenovac, do not come often. We are aware of the problems of our citizens every single day, with too few of our remits to help, too few possibilities to make decisions and too few of the resources. Today, however, with EU Delegation and Commissariat’s assistance I have a chance to welcome representatives of these 23 families who have found solution to their housing issues, started a new or have improved their current businesses,” Cokic said.

“I would like to seize this opportunity to thank the employed within the Municipality of Mladenovac, who have taken effort to implement the project “Right to Home”. I thank donors who have recognized the needs of refugees and IDPs on the territory of Mladenovac, and I also thank beneficiaries for the cooperation,” Cokic added.

Marcia Palota, representative of the EU Delegation to Serbia, congratulated the Municipality of Mladenovac on the job done successfully and expressed house-warming wishes to beneficiaries.

“I am happy with the fact that we have helped Serbian citizens through this project. This is just the part of the overall assistance aimed at 15 municipalities in Serbia, worth 4.000.000 euros. Since 2000, the EU has donated a total of 74 million euros, whereas 14 million were aimed at closure of collective centres in nine Serbian municipalities. Also, in the coming period we have foreseen 3.000.000 euros in order to assist Serbian municipalities, and Mladenovac is once again eligible to apply for these funds,” Palota said.

“The project that gathered us here today is part of the bigger goal, which is to economically empower families and integrate in the society,” Palota said.