Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Clear-up works in Paracin, Cuprija begin

Paracin/Cuprija, 20 October 2006

Serbian Minister of Capital Investment and President of the Crisis Response Team Velimir Ilic visited Paracin and Cuprija today and said that all the necessary works must be carried out quickly so that facilities damaged in yesterday's explosions are repaired before the period of rainfall begins.

Ilic stressed that the works will commence at once adding that broken windows in homes and shops must be replaced before rainfall begins.

He said that citizens of Paracin and nearby Cuprija are filling in forms in which they are stating the scale of damage to their homes and added that construction materials will be ordered immediately and then distributed to citizens.

The Minister specified that school facilities are already being repaired and that the Response Team will try to get citizens to help with the works as well.

Due to the explosions, more than 20,000 square metres of glass has shattered in Cuprija alone and 600-700 objects in Paracin have suffered serious damage.

Ilic invited companies from the towns' surroundings to help with the clear-up, adding that additional funds will probably be necessary since the damage, both on housing and industrial facilities, is far greater than the government-approved funds can cover.

According to Ilic, construction material will be distributed under the supervision of municipal crisis response teams, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Capital Investment.

Ilic also talked with Cuprija and Paracin municipality representatives and agreed with them on the way the clear-up will be carried out.

The Minister stated that 700 houses in Cuprija were damaged, out of which 50 suffered grave damage. These objects will be priorities for renovation.

He also said that elderly people will have their houses repaired by construction companies since they are unable to do this themselves.

The government approved 50 million dinars for the clear-up in Paracin and Cuprija and, if necessary, it will set aside more money for the repairs, said Ilic adding that he hopes the works will be completed in seven to ten days.

According to him, the Nis-Belgrade motorway is also being cleared up and it should be freed for traffic in the course of the day.

The state will lose €1 million a day if Corridor 10 is not in use, which is why we must make it fit for use as soon as possible, the Minister explained.

As similar incidents might occur again, Ilic said that the Ministry of Defense will see to it that all military warehouses and similar facilities be relocated farther away from the Corridor 10.

Ilic added that the estimated damage caused by the detonations is 10 million dinars. He specified that 12 elementary and high schools, several kindergartens and the health centre have been damaged as well as at several other companies in the town. He added that the worst situation is at the Paracin glass factory.