Tuesday the 4th of October 2010 – Representatives from the Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Serbia, the Commissariat for Refugees, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Danish Refugee Council and the municipality of Velika Plana, ceremonially opened a building in Velika Plana intended for use as social housing in protected conditions. The building is comprised of 16 housing units intended for use by refugees, internally displaced persons and socially vulnerable families from the territory of Velika Plana. The construction of the aforementioned housing units represent one of the components of the project, “Support to Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Serbia,” which is being financed by the European Union through the funds made available under IPA 2007. The project which in total is worth 9.5 million euros provides sustainable solutions to some 1,200 families of refugee and internally displaced persons on the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

This component of the project in Velika Plana was undertaken by the implementing partner of the Commissariat for Refugees – the Danish Refugee Council in cooperation with the municipality of Velika Plana.

The investment value of constructing and adequately equipping the building in Sremska Mitrovica totals 298,000 euros. The municipality of Velika Plana participated in the project in question by donating the land, equipped with the requisite infrastructure, and providing for the possibility of connecting this infrastructure to the existing infrastructural network.

The ceremonial opening of the building was attended by the Deputy – Chief of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia Mr. Adriano Martins, the Minister of Labour and Social Policy Mr. Rasim Ljajić, Deputy Commissioner for Refugees Mrs. Svetlana Velimirović, the President of the municipality of Velika Plana Mr. Dejan Šulkić and the representative of the Danish Refugee Councin in the Republic of Serbia Mrs. Marina Cremonese.