The foundation stone for the construction of 270 apartments for refugees in Zemun’s community Кamendin is laid, as a part of the fifth sub-project of the Regional Housing Programme in the Republic of Serbia

The foundation stone is laid for the construction of 270 apartments for refugee families from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, with a permanent residency on the territory of the City of Belgrade, as a part of the fifth sub-project of the Regional Housing Programme in the Republic of Serbia (RHP).

The project value in Kamendin community is 10 million euros. Financial means for the construction of the apartments come in part from the donation of the Regional Housing Fund and the Council of Europe Development Bank and partly from the budget of the City of Belgrade. RHP donated 6.9 million euros.  The construction will start in Аkrobate Аleksica Street. The building contractor is the joint stock company “Zlaibor gradnja- Beograd” while the construction is due to be completed in January 2019.

Numerous officials of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the City of Belgrade, along with ambassadors from donor countries and representatives of international institutions attended the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony.

“It is necessary to complete the Regional Housing Programme because after a number of years, it fially resolves basic existential problems of the most vulnerable part of the refugee population living in Serbia. At the same time, it improves the relations and contributes to regional stability, which is also very important,“ said Veljko Оdalovic, General Secretary of the Мinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. 
 
Serbian Commissioner for Refugees and Migration, Mr. Vladimir Cucic, stressed that this is the largest construction site so far and that the activities of the Regional Housing Programme are very intensive.

“The number of awarded housing solutions grows by day, because the keys for new prefabricated houses are being handed to the beneficiaries, along with the packages of construction material. Moreover, village houses are also bought for the beneficiaries. As far as the apartments go, construction of 235 apartments in Ovca is coming to an end“, emphasized Commissioner Cucic.

“City of Belgrade is dealing with the problems and needs of its most vulnerable citizens in a serious and systematic manner.  As accountable city management, it is very important to us to conduct responsible social politics. Our commitment to this is very serious“, stressed Mayor of Belgrade Sinisа Мali.

High ranking officials of international institutions also addressed the assembly.

On behalf of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Veljko Odalovic, General Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia threw the first shovel of concrete onto the founding stone, accompanied by Mr. Sinisa Mali, Mayor of Belgrade, Mr. Bojan Stevic, State Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self – Government,  Mr. Vladimir Cucic, Commissioner for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Yingve Engstroem, on behalf of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, his Excellency Кyle Randolph Scott, ambassador of the United States of America, Vassilis Petrides, representative of the Council of Europe Development Bank, Mr. Hans Friedrich Schodder,UNHCR representative in Serbia, Ambassador Andrea Orizio, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Mr Dragan Katuca, Acting Director of the Project Implementation Unit “Research and Development doo Beograd” and others.