Officials praise support in wake of floods

Officials praise support in wake of floods

Vucic also addressed the students to say that they must "study hard because much is expected from them in the future."

He noted that a high school and a kindergarten must still be repaired in Obrenovac.

EU Delegation in Serbia head Michael Davenport said the EU invested great funds in the renewal of not only this school but 14 others in the flood affected municipalities and stressed that the success came above all through joint work of everyone.

He said the EU would continue to provide assistance, but that it will go toward flood prevention measures.

President Tomislav Nikolic said that while it was negative that the floods happened, they also showed "how much and on whom we can count."

"I hope these children will return a hundred times over what has been invested and will become good, smart, educated people that Serbia can be proud of," said he.

The EU invested EUR 160,000 in repairs done on the school, and a total of EUR 860,000 for five educational institutions in Orenovac, and plans to spend EUR 230,000 more for repairs on two high schools.

Also on Friday on Obrenovac, Tomislav Nikolic and Aleksandar Vucic handed the keys to 39 newly constructed houses to families whose homes were destroyed in the floods. The houses were built with the funds donated by the United Arab Emirates (14) and Kuwait (25), while Gorenje donated home appliances.

The construction of 14 houses in Obrenovac is part of a larger scale project carried out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and funded by the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation through the UAE Embassy to Serbia.

As part of the project, a total of 35 houses - of 60, 80 and 100 square meters - were completed this month. Besides the ones built in Obrenovac, another 17 houses were constructed in Krupanj, eastern Serbia, and four in Valjevo, in the west of the country.

The UAE charity foundation invested EUR 1 million in the project and provided new homes for 150 people. The Emirates also transferred USD 10 million to Serbia to help repair the damage caused by the floods.

Kuwait invested USD 400,000 through the Red Crescent Society in the construction of 25 houses of 65 square meters for a total of 37 people in Obrenovac.

“The goodwill shown to us by two great and friendly countries, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, is a proof that we have strong support in the world and among the citizens”, said Nikolic.

He commended the government for not letting a single dinar intended to help the flood victims “end up in the wrong hands”.

The Serbian prime minister said that the government has so far transferred a total of RSD 1.72 billion in financial aid to 5,869 households, adding that the construction will be completed soon so that the residents will be able to move into their new homes before winter.

Vucic expressed his gratitude to the president, the UAE, Kuwait, and all others who selflessly helped the flood victims in the most difficult times.

Ambassador of Kuwait to Serbia Yusuf Ahmad Abdul-Samad said that he is pleased with the transparency and efficiency of the construction projects funded by his country.

Deputy Resident Representative at UNDP Serbia Steliana Nedera said that this organization remains a trusted partner of the government and the people of Serbia, and stressed that quality and speed are imperative in its work.

She noted that the UNDP is engaged in the projects of building 19 dams across Serbia aimed to provide permanent flood protection in the areas at risk.

The citizens of Obrenovac who can move into their new homes as of today told Tanjug that they are happy with the speed of the construction and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the donors.