President calls on citizens to save electricity

Serbian President Boris Tadic on Thursday continued touring parts of the country worst-hit by the ongoing ice-cold wave, this time traveling to western Serbia. Tadic was in a village near the town of Ljubovija when he appealed on the citizens to reduce their power consumption in order to preserve the country's electrical system which is now strained to the limit. President calls on citizens to save electricity "Save electrical energy. Initial appeals have not yielded results," the president warned. Tadic was in the municipality Mali Zvorink, also in the west, earlier in the day, when he said that the authorities had offered "the best possible response to the difficulties caused by the latest wave of low temperatures and heavy snowfall". At the same time, he warned that prevention measures need to be implemented in order to provide a timely response to landslides and floods that can arise as a result of the melting snow. "We are taking care of the coming weeks because the bad weather is causing new problems, and only if we react in an organized way, with solidarity and as a well-governed country, we will be able to cut losses and reduce the difficulties people are facing," Tadic said in the village of Radalj on the highway from Krupanj to Mali Zvornik. The road was unblocked early on Thursday after several-days-long efforts of units of the Serbian Army, which even had the necessary fuel and spare parts delivered to them by horse- or oxen-drawn carts in some cases. Tadic underscored that services in charge of cleaning the snowed local roads in Serbia are delivering assistance to isolated households and are experiencing grave problems because machines are breaking down often with temperatures in Podrinje which can be lower than 25 below zero centigrade. According to Tadic all logistic problems are removed timely and competent services in Serbia are reacting in the best possible way. Tadic especially commended soldiers who were actively engaged in the removal of snowdrifts from Podrinje roads. The president called once more on citizens to save electricity and be careful in traffic, to clean the snow and remove icicles in the vicinity of their homes. Tadic visited the municipality of Mali Zvornik together with representatives of local self-governments and army chief Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic. Tadic meets with local farmers in western Serbia (Tanjug) Tanjug

President calls on citizens to save electricity

"Save electrical energy. Initial appeals have not yielded results," the president warned.

Tadić was in the municipality Mali Zvorink, also in the west, earlier in the day, when he said that the authorities had offered "the best possible response to the difficulties caused by the latest wave of low temperatures and heavy snowfall".

At the same time, he warned that prevention measures need to be implemented in order to provide a timely response to landslides and floods that can arise as a result of the melting snow.

"We are taking care of the coming weeks because the bad weather is causing new problems, and only if we react in an organized way, with solidarity and as a well-governed country, we will be able to cut losses and reduce the difficulties people are facing," Tadić said in the village of Radalj on the highway from Krupanj to Mali Zvornik.

The road was unblocked early on Thursday after several-days-long efforts of units of the Serbian Army, which even had the necessary fuel and spare parts delivered to them by horse- or oxen-drawn carts in some cases.

Tadić underscored that services in charge of cleaning the snowed local roads in Serbia are delivering assistance to isolated households and are experiencing grave problems because machines are breaking down often with temperatures in Podrinje which can be lower than 25 below zero centigrade.

According to Tadić all logistic problems are removed timely and competent services in Serbia are reacting in the best possible way.

Tadić especially commended soldiers who were actively engaged in the removal of snowdrifts from Podrinje roads.

The president called once more on citizens to save electricity and be careful in traffic, to clean the snow and remove icicles in the vicinity of their homes.

Tadić visited the municipality of Mali Zvornik together with representatives of local self-governments and army chief Lt. Gen. Ljubiša Diković.