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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Government will make all possible efforts to repair landslide damage

Belgrade, 19 March 2006

Serbian Minister of Capital Investment Velimir Ilic said today that the government will make all possible efforts to repair the damage caused by landslides, and added that funds worth several billion dinars are required for that.

In a statement to the news agency Tanjug, Ilic said that the damage in the village Bogdanje near Trstenik has been estimated at several billion dinars, and added that in other places the damage is of lesser proportions, so that the total damage to the economy will be between two and three billion dinars.

He explained that the landslide in Bogdanje is the largest one Serbia has ever seen as the entire hill is sliding downwards towards a river, endangering a village of a few hundred homes

According to Ilic, 20 houses have been destroyed in Bogdanje because of the landslide, and residents have been moved from the landslide zones.

The Minister said that experts of the Institute of Transportation (CIP) are with him on the terrain, with others who are qualified for examining the situation and who will consider ways for beginning the process of essential reinforcement work on the landslide area.

Heavier rainfall and rising river levels resulted in many landslides throughout Serbia, he said noting that municipalities that have sustained major damage are reporting in daily. He added that he will inform the government on this issue at the next session.

He said that all demolished buildings will be rebuilt and added that it is important that there has been no human victims. He noted that the threatened population were moved and settled in safe areas and locations where new houses will be built.

Ilic recalled that repairs are in progress at landslide sites in Popovici near Kraljevo and in Valjevo where landslides have destroyed several houses, and added that the government has provided funds for building new houses.

He explained that landslides also caused damage to roads, railway lines, power stations, and entire electricity networks, while the water supply system was destroyed near Jarmenovci near Topola.