Third call for EU-financed projects after floods

BELGRADE - A third call for project proposals in relation to the repair of the flood damage and flood prevention has been issued on Wednesday as part of the program of the cross-border cooperation between Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH).

The EU has earmarked EUR 3.6 million from pre-accession funds for these projects in Serbia and BiH, which were last year hit by the devastating floods.

So far, the EU has financed 36 projects with 72 beneficiaries from both countries, most of them from the field of environmental protection and tourism, said deputy director of the Serbian government's EU Integration Office Srdjan Majstorovic at a conference in Belgrade.

Within the budget period 2007-2013, the EU allocated EUR 11.5 million in total for projects as part of the programs aimed at providing aid for flood victims.

Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Oscar Benedict noted that the 2014 flooding revealed many shortcomings, including those in the field of civil protection, which should be remedied.

In the first phase of post-flood assistance, Benedict noted that the EU donated EUR 30 million for the repair of homes, and announced a second assistance program of EUR 60 million for risk management and landslide prevention.

Photo Tanjug Video (illustration, archive)