Friday the 1st of April 2011 – a ceremony commemorating the signing of the agreement on the donation of building material packages to the first group of some 28 beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of the EU Project IPA 2008 – “Support to Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons in Serbia,” was held today.  The Project is financed by the European Union through IPA funds.  The Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia is the utilizing institution of the project in question while the implementation of the activities of the project have been entrusted to the German NGO, “HELP, Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V.”

The signing ceremony was held in the town hall of Sremska Mirtrovica in the presence of the city’s mayor Mr. Branislav Nedimović, the director of HELP for Southern-Eastern Europe Mr. Tim Stegelman, the representatives of the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia, the UNHCR, HELP and the city of Sremska Mitrovica.

The agreement was signed upon the successful conclusion of the beneficiary selection process undertaken on behalf of the Commission which was itself comprised of the representatives of the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia, representatives of the city of Sremska Mitrovica, the UNHCR and HELP.  Following the signing of the agreement, the selected beneficiaries are set to receive packages of building materials valued at a total of 108,494.56 euros for activities relating to the reconstruction and or the completion of already commenced works, which of themselves will contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of some 28 families of refugee, internally displaced persons as also persons from the local, socially vulnerable citizenry on the territory of the city of Sremska Mitrovica.  All of the selected beneficiaries will be obligated to utilize the donated building material within a period of 90 days upon reception of the same.

Within the scope of the same Project, the European Union is set to donate 3 houses with a total value of 46,650.oo euros in the city of Sremska Mitrovica, intended for the purpose of providing housing for refugee and internally displaced persons.  An agreement concerning the donated building materials to a further 11 beneficiaries is set to be signed by the end of April 2011.