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Serbia and the CEB sign two new grant agreements

9 September 2014

First disbursement to Serbia on 4 September 2014


PARIS - Today, Ms. Jadranka Joksimovic, National IPA Coordinator and Minister without Portfolio responsible for EU Integration, and Mr. Stephan Sellen, the CEB’s Deputy Director General for Loans and Social Development, signed two new RHP Grant Agreements in Belgrade. 

The signed agreements, with a total grant amount of EUR 22.5 million, will provide financing for the construction of 435 apartments in multi-apartment buildings throughout Serbia. It will also cover the construction of 200 pre-fabricated houses, the provision of 650 building material packages and the purchase of 300 village houses. In total, thanks to these grants, close to 1 600 most vulnerable refugee families will be provided with a durable housing solution starting in 2015. Almost half of the beneficiaries will be the inhabitants of the municipalities of the City of Belgrade.

On 4 September 2014, Serbia also received its first grant disbursement of close to EUR 1 million. This will enable prompt implementation of Serbia’s first sub-project, aiming at providing 125 building material packages and 70 pre-fabricated houses for 195 vulnerable households.

Statement by Minister Joksimovic

“It is important to take the initiative in solving the problems that the countries of the region are still facing. Even though all necessary funds have not yet been secured, I want to believe that in the near future this will be resolved. We shall strive to prove to the international community with our perseverance that we are a credible partner who justifies the trust of the donors, and more importantly, the trust and hope of the families and individuals who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the Programme. It is very encouraging that after a few years since the beginning of the very complex agreements that resulted in the structure and mechanism of the RHP, we have started to make concrete steps towards its realisation, together with the other Partner Countries in the region.”

Statement by Stephan Sellen

“The CEB is pleased to have signed today two additional Grant Agreements with Serbia, and we look forward to the imminent start of the implementation of these projects. Still this month, the first packages of building material will be delivered to eligible RHP beneficiaries in Serbia. This is extremely good news to  all RHP stakeholders:  visible progress on the ground and beneficiaries finally moving into decent housing is what motivates us to continue our work to the benefit of those most in need.”

RHP info desk:  Secretariat of the Regional Housing Programme ceb-rhp[at]coebank.org

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