PM: Fewer flood victims than first thought

PM: Fewer flood victims than first thought

Vučić added that while damage was great in Obrenovac and that there was "a large number of victims" that number was lower than first thought.

"We avoided a disaster with good organization, although there were a few mistakes. It's not over, the dangers are now far lesser, but we still have to control the Sava River," Vučić said at the meeting.

He added that on Saturday, two bodies were found in Obrenovac, and that the good news was that no victims were found in the areas of the town from which the flood water had receded.

The prime minister explained that evacuation of Sremska Rača was ongoing, along with that near the Kolubara River. He said the damage to the Kolubara coal mines alone could reach EUR 100 million.

The first damage assessment is expected in the coming days, said Minister Zorana Mihajlović, and announced that a commission that will do this work was set up and will meet on Monday.

Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić noted during the meeting that there were problems related to customs and regulations when it comes to humanitarian aid coming from abroad, and urged Finance Minister Lazar Krstić to make sure "the state reacts urgently, so that aid is brought in easier, and also to prevent abuses."

To that end, he suggested that it would be "the easiest" to allow humanitarian aid from abroad to arrive in coordination with our diplomatic missions there.

Vučić thanked everyone from abroad who helped, and also expressed his gratitude to all members of the army and police, the citizens who responded, young volunteers and people from the political sphere, such as Dragan Đilas and Čedomir Jovanović. According to him, "Europe is impressed by the mobilizing of the citizens of Serbia."

The minister responsible for emergency situations, Velimir Ilić, said that landslideswere causing problems and that his people were in the field.

"The situation is being cleared up, all the landslide sites have been visited, lists made of buildings that collapsed, the most difficult situation is in Ljig, Bajina Bašta and Kosjerić. People have been evacuated, no one is threatened. We got the machines free of charge," reported Ilić.

Vučić,Dačić , and Minister of the Interior Nebojša Stefanović thanked all the countries that provided assistance to Serbia in the previous days, but pointed out that "assistance in manpower" was no longer needed.

Dačić, who on Saturday said Serbia required more equipment and rescue teams, said today that a plane from Turkey bringing rescuers had to be turned back this morning, because this type of assistance was no longer needed.

Stefanović said that at any time between 5,000 and 6,000 members of the Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) were deployed in the field, and urged residents of Obrenovac not to try to return to their homes yet despite the fact that the water is receding, as the town is still not safe.

Vučić also announced that Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahj would make a large donation to help Serbia cope with the flooding, but that it would "still not be nearly enough to repair the damage overall." Vučić finally noted that abuses of donations should not be allowed, and that instead, "it should be clear how the money is spent."