Women victims of domestic violence, young people without parents, people with disabilities and members of the Roma national minority received fully furnished and equipped apartments – families belonging to the most sensitive social groups received apartments in a newly built building for social housing. Specifically, with the help of the European Union, 12 of the most vulnerable families got new homes in Čačak as part of the support provided through the project “Leave No One Behind”.

The keys to the new apartments were handed over by the envoy of the President of Serbia Suzana Paunović, the Mayor of Čačak Milun Todorović, the head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Ambassador Emanuele Giaufret, the Ministers Tanja Miščević, Nikola Selaković and Tomislav Žigmanov and the Assistance Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Dušan Radonjić.

The Mayor Todorović opened the event by saying that it is a great success that after two years of hard and persistent work and great support from the EU, those who need help the most, really get it through this solution to their housing issue.

“Today we see the result of a joint choice so that no one is left behind”, said Ambassador Giaufret and emphasized that the moving of 12 families into new apartments is a clear and tangible result of the efforts and continuous work of the EU, the City of Čačak and the Government of Serbia to support equality, solidarity, tolerance and inclusion. “We believe that housing is only the first step towards a better life. That is why this project envisages that especially sensitive groups acquire knowledge and skills, but also get access to social, educational and health services, as well as psychological and legal support, which will enable them to have a quality life and inclusion in society. A total of 381 families from vulnerable groups of fellow citizens will receive new homes in 19 cities throughout Serbia through the social inclusion program supported by the EU. We care about Europe, we care about Serbia and its citizens. We are better together.”

The Minister for European Integration, Tanja Mišćević, pointed out that moving into apartments marks the beginning of new, happier life for families. “Our engagement to build a better society does not stop there, and European integration allows us to grow the infrastructure that is necessary for that.”

The Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Nikola Selaković, emphasized that this is a project that includes not only a roof over your head, but also integration into society, and added that cooperation with the EU is also valuable because of the knowledge on how to better plan and budget for solving of such challenges.

“At most of the gatherings I have attended, examples of good practice were shown, but I can point out that this particular event is one of my favourite – because when you approach someone by providing support in this way, you really give them a chance for a new life,” said the Minister for Human and Minority Rights Žigmanov.

Assistant Minister Dušan Radonjić, on behalf of himself and the Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Gorana Vesića, thanked the European Union for its help and pointed out that he is proud that the Ministry is a partner in this project as proof that in the EU-Serbia relations, solidarity does not remain only political or a philosophical concept, and that it is already materializing in reality. He reminded that the words of one of the fathers of the European Union, Robert Schuman, that “Europe will not be created all at once, it will be built through specific achievements, and above all by creating true solidarity.”

The Director of UNOPS, which implements the European Union Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion Programme (EU SHAI), pointed out that sustainable housing solutions are the result of sincere and dedicated cooperation of all actors.

Žarko Džambasević, one of the beneficiaries of the project, addressed the audience and thanked everyone who made it possible for him to move into a new apartment today, which will mean a lot to his whole family.

The project “Leave No One Behind” is implemented as part of the European Union Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion Programme (SHAI EU), for which the EU allocated EUR 27 million, and which, in addition to Čačak, is implemented in 18 other cities and municipalities. The EU SHAI Programme is implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in partnership with the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs and in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration.