Serbia gets EUR 19.9mn for Bosnia and Croatia refugees
The Assembly of Donors have approved another EUR 19.9 million tranche for Serbia for the housing of refugees, Ivica Dacic announced on Monday.
Source: srbija.gov.rs
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L-R: Dittmann, Scott, Dacic (Tanjug)
Dacic, who is also the chairman of the Commission for the Coordination of the Process of Permanent Integration of Refugees, explained that this is the eighth project that will finance the housing of 938 refugee families from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Serbian government reported.
The decision was made at the 14th Assembly of Donors of the Regional Housing Program, with the funds allocated for building 358 apartments, 30 prefabricated houses, 250 building materials packages and 300 village houses.
"This is great news that encourages us to continue with the implementation of this program and shows that donors continue to recognize the needs of refugees in Serbia," Dacic said.
Minister without Portfolio in charge of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic emphasized that "a lot has been done through the Regional Housing Program, but that more can be done in cooperation with partners."
When it comes to the aforementioned EUR 19.9 million, she said that she will advocate that these funds are separated from the multi-beneficiary IPA, because EUR 10 million aimed at solving the migrant crisis has already been allocated.
Acting Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Oskar Benedikt "emphasized that the program represents the values of Europe, which are solidarity, cooperation and reconciliation," while US Ambassador to Serbia Kyle Scott announced that the United States will allocate additional funds to the Fund.
German Ambassador to Serbia Axel Dittmann, OSCE Ambassador to Serbia Andrea Orizio and UNHCR Representative Anne-Christine Eriksson also addressed the participants.
The Regional Housing Program in Serbia began to be implemented at the end of 2013. Refugee families were provided four types of housing solutions: flats, prefabricated houses, rural households and building material packages.
The UNHCR figures for Serbia in the mid-90s show that at one point Serbia hosted well over 1 million refugees, but that is an inconvenient 'fact' that the West doesn't like to advertise as it contradicts their fairy tale narrative. Serbia was still under sanctions throughout, doubly punishing refugees. Way to go!
(EU Dude, 27 June 2017 19:20)
Under EU accession rules, refugees are supposed to be allowed back into Croatia and their properties restituted. Croatia has to comply with these rules but hardly does. So, shouldn't the focus be on that (if these people want to return) instead of keeping them in Serbia? Or else it is just added to the last phase of ethnic cleansing.
(Joe A, 27 June 2017 12:31)
The Americans are so desperate to be liked by Serbs they also donate towards this program. While they have an obligation since it was they that created this mess, I sometimes cannot help but wonder how those US citizens living on the streets and tent cities feel when they hear about this?
How silly of me, that would take a free press for them to hear hear or read any of this story.
(sj, 27 June 2017 11:29)
The Americans are so desperate to be liked by Serbs they also donate towards this program. While they have an obligation since it was they that created this mess, I sometimes cannot help but wonder how those US citizens living on the streets and tent cities feel when they hear about this?
How silly of me, that would take a free press for them to hear hear or read any of this story.
(sj, 27 June 2017 11:29)
Under EU accession rules, refugees are supposed to be allowed back into Croatia and their properties restituted. Croatia has to comply with these rules but hardly does. So, shouldn't the focus be on that (if these people want to return) instead of keeping them in Serbia? Or else it is just added to the last phase of ethnic cleansing.
(Joe A, 27 June 2017 12:31)
The UNHCR figures for Serbia in the mid-90s show that at one point Serbia hosted well over 1 million refugees, but that is an inconvenient 'fact' that the West doesn't like to advertise as it contradicts their fairy tale narrative. Serbia was still under sanctions throughout, doubly punishing refugees. Way to go!
(EU Dude, 27 June 2017 19:20)
The Americans are so desperate to be liked by Serbs they also donate towards this program. While they have an obligation since it was they that created this mess, I sometimes cannot help but wonder how those US citizens living on the streets and tent cities feel when they hear about this?
How silly of me, that would take a free press for them to hear hear or read any of this story.
(sj, 27 June 2017 11:29)
Under EU accession rules, refugees are supposed to be allowed back into Croatia and their properties restituted. Croatia has to comply with these rules but hardly does. So, shouldn't the focus be on that (if these people want to return) instead of keeping them in Serbia? Or else it is just added to the last phase of ethnic cleansing.
(Joe A, 27 June 2017 12:31)
The UNHCR figures for Serbia in the mid-90s show that at one point Serbia hosted well over 1 million refugees, but that is an inconvenient 'fact' that the West doesn't like to advertise as it contradicts their fairy tale narrative. Serbia was still under sanctions throughout, doubly punishing refugees. Way to go!
(EU Dude, 27 June 2017 19:20)