Barroso: EU to continue to assist post-flood reconstruction

OBRENOVAC - The European Union will continue to assist Serbia in remedying the consequences of the May floods because solidarity is the essence of Europe, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in Obrenovac on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters after visiting a local primary school that is under reconstruction, Barroso said that 22 EU member-states have provided aid to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the wake of the recent floods and that it is the largest such operation in Europe.

We immediately secured EUR 3 million worth of aid, while the European Commission last Monday also decided to redirect EUR 30 million from IPA funds to rehabilitation efforts, Barroso said.

The money will be used to fund short-term reconstruction in Serbia, and on-site works may start in the coming days, the European Commission president added.

Long-term support is significant, too, and the European Commission, in collaboration with France and Slovenia, will organise a donor conference in Brussels on July 16 as an opportunity for the international community to once again help Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said.

Barroso offered condolences to the families of the flood victims, praising the Serbian government, the civil sector, citizens, as well as organisations from neighbouring countries, for their quick interventions aimed at providing assistance to the flood-hit population.

Photo Tanjug video

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