Kraljevo, 08 November 2012 - Collective Centre in Kraljevo was finally closed, and its residents have moved into new homes in the Veterans settlement built by the European Union. The former collective centre residents welcomed the Head of the EU Delegation, Veterans settlement built by the European Union. The former collective centre residents welcomed the Head of the EU Delegation, Commissioner for Refugees and the UNHCR Representative and transferred their first impressions of life in their new homes.

The building of social housing in a supportive environment, which consists of 20 residential units, is built in the framework of the project "Supporting access to rights, employment, and improving the living conditions of refugees and internally displaced persons in Serbia." The project is funded from the pre-accession funds of the European Union and implemented in collaboration with the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia and the UNHCR. Members of the first building of its kind in the municipality of Kraljevo are 13 families of IDPs, 3 refugee families and 4 local families. This building is the last step in closing collective centres Mataruska Banja where the displaced population lived since 1992.

The total value of construction works and equipment financed by the EU is € 300,000. Kraljevo municipality donated the land and infrastructure and the location, and the project was implemented in cooperation with the NGO Vizija , long-implementing partner of UNHCR.

At the end of the visit, Ambassador Deger said, "Today, with the Commissariat for Refugees, are one step closer to our common goal - the closure of the remaining collective centres in Serbia and providing opportunities for all refugees and displaced persons to live a better life. It gives me great pleasure today that I can talk to these people and make sure how much our help contribute to the improvement of their living conditions. "

Commissioner Cucić added: "We are very grateful to the EU for their continued assistance in resolving housing and other needs of refugees and internally displaced persons. EU is the most important partner of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, not only in our effort to solve the needs of war-affected persons but also in exercising their rights. Due to the joint efforts of the Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, and the European Union, we were able to close more than 20 collective centres in the territory of Kraljevo. We are proud to say that the closure of the last collective centre in Kraljevo is planned next year. I want to say especially to those who have moved into their new flats that we all hope that this step will be a fresh start to their brighter and better future. "