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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

EU most important partner in country’s recovery after floods

Belgrade, 11 July 2014

Director of the Serbian government’s Office for assistance and recovery of the flooded areas Marko Blagojevic stated today that the total estimated damage caused by floods in Serbia stands at €1.532 billion.

Ana Ilic and Marko Blagojevic

Speaking at a press conference at which Blagojevic presented the Report on the evaluation of needs for the recovery and rehabilitation of the flooded areas, information on the upcoming donors’ conference which will be held in Brussels on 16 July and the overview of the office’s activities to date, he underlined that the most important partner in the country’s reconstruction will be the EU.

All citizens who have lost their homes will get a roof over their heads, with the first people moving in in mid-August, he said and expressed hope that a law on reconstruction of the country will be adopted next week.

The Director of the Office for assistance and recovery of flooded areas pointed out that the great damage was made to the energy sector, whose rehabilitation would require more than € 210 million.

Also, he noted, floods and landslides led to the total destruction of more than 400 residential units, while approximately 17,000 apartments and housing units suffered partial damage, with the amount of damage in the residential sector being estimated at €227 million.

Blagojevic specified that 74 health care facilities were damaged, including out-patient departments, community health centers and clinics, as well as 35 pre-school instutitions and primary and secondary schools.

Speaking about international aid, he recalled that 43 countruies participated in the preparatory conference in Paris, which will declare next week how much money they can afford to give to Serbia.

Assistant Director of the European Integration Office of the Republic of Serbia Ana Ilic said that our country so far can expect €30 million from the EU, which will be used for housing and direct support to farmers.

Ilic explained that Serbia is currently in the process of programming €50 million of pre-accession assistance for 2014, noting that talks with Germany, Sweden and other EU partners are currently underway.