"State of emergency" until reconstruction is complete

"State of emergency" until reconstruction is complete

"We need solidarity now more than ever. What we have witnessed in the first days of the disaster was selfless sacrifice. Today, we have solidarity in action. I am pressing the matter of the donor conference because we might be forgotten, because every day something happens in the world that makes our tragedy smaller in the eyes of others," said Nikolić.

The president urged the government of Serbia to adjust the procedures to the current situation, allowing the reconstruction of homes and public facilities to proceed without any impediments.

"Children will not return to this kindergarten any time soon, unless we take urgent emergency measures and unless the government agrees that in this situation some regular procedures should in a way be circumvented. If this is to be considered a normal adaptation, I do not believe that children will come back here in December, because it only takes one bidder to contest the tender and the procedure would be postponed until next year. This is unthinkable," Nikolić explained.

It is time for the government to make the decision on how to approach the reconstruction of flood-damaged buildings, noted Nikolić.

The president said that he will try to visit all flood affected areas so as to be able to inform the international community first-hand about the scale of the damage.

Following his visit to Svilajnac and Paraćin on Wednesday, Nikolić announced plans to visit Kraljevo by the end of the week.

The Dragica Nikolić Foundation will try to build at least one house for families with children in every town hit by the floods, Nikolić underlined.