Today, on the 1st of September 2017, in the premises of cultural institution „Vuk Stefanović Karadžić“, contracts have been solemnly awarded on granting of 302 packages of building materials to refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, who have their residence in the territory of Belgrade. Building material packages worth up to 9,000 euros are financed by donor funds from subproject 3 of the Regional Housing Programme. The main donor of RHP is the European Union.

Ceremony has been opened by Mr. Ivica Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Commission for Coordination of the Process of Integration of Refugees of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

„I am proud to point out that within the RHP more than 1,000 housing solutions have been awarded to the same number of refugee families. Since the beginning of the implementation of the Programme, more than 123 million EUR have been approved to Serbia, and it is up to us to ensure that this money provides housing solutions for as many vulnerable refugee families as possible“, said Minister Dačić.

 

Minister in charge of European Integration Ms Jadranka Joksimović emphasized that the RHP should be a message of the applied humanity of the international community and the responsibility of our state to do everything to make the life of the refugees, which was undoubtedly difficult, to be better and simpler with prospects for better childhood.

Ms Joksimović announced that another contract will be signed very soon, 7th subproject, worth 9,2 million euros, as well that she hopes that in the following period problems of a large number of families will be solved.

Commissioner for Refugees and Migration Mr. Vladimir Cucić said that today a big part of subproject 3 ends, which is worth 13,6 million euros, referring to refugees who live in Belgrade.

He pointed out that the construction of the settlement in Ovca is in progress, which should be completed in November.

According to him, 555 families have been directly helped in Belgrade.

Mr. Cucić especially thanked the donors and the Government of Serbia and the City of Belgrade, but above all refugees who had the patience to wait 20 years and trusted that they would be helped.

The audience was also addressed by Deputy Mayor Mr. Andreja Mladenovic, Mr. Nicolas Bizel, Head of the Section for Justice, Home Affairs and Support for Social Inclusion at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Stefan Selen, Deputy Director of the Directorate General for Loans and Social Development of the Development Bank of the Council of Europe,HE Andrea Oricio, Ambassador, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Mr. Hans Friedrich Schodder, Head of the UNHCR Office in Serbia, and Mr. Dusan Bubulj, beneficiary refugee from Bihac.

 

Beside the speakers, contracts were awarded by Mr. Radovan Grajić, Assistant Minister for Refugees and Displaced Persons of Republika Srpska, Ms. Janne Knutrud, Deputy Ambassador of Norway, Mr. Fabricio Kozimi from Embassy of Italy, Mr. Dragan Katuca, Acting Director of PIU and Ms. Nataša Stanisavljević, Secretary for Social Protection of the City of Belgrade.