Serbia sets aside money for flood-hit towns in RS

Serbia sets aside money for flood-hit towns in RS

Vučić first visited Šamac, together with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Dačić and Dragan Marković, leader of the United Serbia and mayor of Jagodina.

The Serbian delegation was welcomed by RS President Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister Željka Cvijanović, and Šamac Mayor Savo Minić. After the talks, Vučić addressed citizens at a town square.

He stated that, as soon as on Monday, the Serbian government will transfer EUR 0.5 million for the repair of the school in the village of Crkvina, and explore ways for assisting Bijeljina and other flood-affected areas in RS.

“When the news started coming in about the floods in Šamac, Doboj and other parts of RS, I was equally concerned about that and the troubles of the Serbian people,” Vučić said, noting that a half of his family lives in RS.

He underscored that “RS can always count on Serbia's assistance” and thanked RS citizens for their concern, help and love for Serbia.

Stressing that this is just the beginning of assistance, Vučić voiced the hope that as Serbia grows stronger in economic terms, it would be able to help RS even more.

“The stronger Serbia gets, the better it will be in Bosnia-Herzegovina and RS, and for all in the region,” Vučić said, stressing on that occasion that “Serbia wants peace and good relations with all neighbors and to respect the territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina.”

Then, the Serbian delegation together with the hosts toured the primary school in Crkvina near Šamac, which was damaged in the floods.

The school was built in 1967, and will have 233 pupils this year, and Vučić said that, thanks to the Serbian government's donation, the repair process will be completed by September, before the start of the new school year.

Addressing local people, Vučić said that it is Serbia's constant obligation to look after RS, with “the respect of all neighbors, both Croats and Bosniaks, Serbian citizens should look at RS the same way as RS citizens look at Serbia”.

RS President Milorad Dodik said that the school in Crkvina will in the future carry the name “Serbia” as a sign of gratitude.

He underlined that cooperation between Serbia and RS is becoming more and more intensive, and thanked the Serbian prime minister and the government for this donation worth BAM 2 million (EUR 1 million) for Doboj and Šamac, and for everything that Serbia has been doing for RS.