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Obrenovac, 30 June 2014 – Director of the Government Office for Reconstruction and Flood Relief, Marko Blagojevic and President of the European Commission, JoséManuel Barroso, emphasized yesterday in Obrenovac that EU would continue to support Serbia in removing the consequences of recent floods.
Photo: Fonet
In his address to journalists after visiting the works on reconstruction of the primary school “Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj” Blagojevic underlined that the funds redirected from the EU pre-accession funds would enable the implementation of various projects such as reconstruction of houses, reconstruction of roads and assistance to farmers.
He said he was satisfied that receiving that assistance would not require the adoption of new laws, thus allowing for the first works to commence already in two weeks.
Barroso repeated that the European Union would continue helping Serbia in removing the consequences of floods from May not only in the coming weeks but in the coming months and years considering that solidarity is the essence of Europe.
He reminded everyone that Serbia had suffered huge financial damage that would have long-term effects. That is why 22 Member States decided to provide aid to both Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to him, this is the biggest population protection operation in Europe. The EU immediately provided three million EUR in humanitarian aid while European Commission decided to redirect 30 million EUR from IPA funds for damage recovery.
Barroso explained that those funds would be used to finance short-term reconstruction in Serbia and announced that on-site works would commence in the days to come.
He noted that long-term support was also very important and that was why the European Commission together with France and Slovenia would organize a donor conference in Brussels on 16 July. There, the international community would get an opportunity to once again help Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The President of the European Commission expressed his condolences to the families of people who lost their lives in floods and at the same time commended the Government of Serbia, the civil sector, citizens and organizations from the neighbouring countries for their quick intervention concerning the aid to affected population.
Headmaster of primary school “Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj”, Vera Djordjevic, stated that the damage on this educational institution caused by the floods was estimated at 480,000 EUR.
Ms Djordjevic said that all teachers and other staff were involved in removing the flood effects in order to facilitate the smooth beginning of the new school year.
