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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Foundation stone laid for building of 32 apartments for refugees

Kragujevac, 1 March 2006

Italian Ambassador to Serbia-Montenegro Alessandro Merola, Serbian Minister of Capital Investment Velimir Ilic, Mayor of Kragujevac Veroljub Stevanovic and director of the regional department of UN Habitat Daniel Biau laid today in Kragujevac the foundation stone for the building of 32 apartments intended for refugees and socially underprivileged local population.

Author: Tanjug

The building of 32 out of the total of 96 apartments will be financed by the Italian government with a sum of €1.2 million within the framework of the programme of housing and social integration of refugees.

The City of Kragujevac has secured land, infrastructure, project documentation and a construction permit for that purpose, which is 30% of the total value of the entire project implemented by the UN agency for human settlements and urban cooperation Habitat.

Speaking at a press conference, Merola said that the Italian government has secured $8.5 million dollars for the construction of 670 apartments for refugees and socially underprivileged local population in the cities of Kragujevac and Nis, and in the municipalities of Cacak, Kraljevo, Pancevo, Stara Pazova and Valjevo.

According to Merola, the aim of the project, which is the first of its type being implemented by the Italian government, is to create conditions for the integration of refugees and the local population.

Minister Ilic said that this is an important step in the care of refugees in Serbia, and added that similar projects will be continued.

Stevanovic said that the construction of similar buildings intended for disabled war veterans will soon begin in Kragujevac.

Biau recalled that Habitat is implementing such programmes in nearly a 100 cities in the world, and that developing countries and those in transition have priority.

So far, in Kragujevac four buildings have been constructed for refugees, and the construction was financed by international organisations SDCR and UNDP.