News
Regional Housing Programme: 61 municipalities in Serbia to implement sub-projects
31 October 2015
The mayors of 61 Serbian municipalities signed agreements for the implementation of the Regional Housing Programme (RHP) during a ceremony held in Novi Sad today. The agreements aim to provide more than 2 000 permanent housing solutions for refugees living in those municipalities. The RHP is managed by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).
The ceremony took place in the presence of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ivica Dacic. Attending on behalf of the CEB was Stephan Sellen, Deputy Director for Loans and Social Development.
Also attending the ceremony were high-level representatives of the RHP donor and partner community, including Michael Davenport, Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, and Michael D. Kirby, US Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia.
By signing these agreements, the municipalities formally launched the implementation of three RHP sub-projects in Serbia, with a total cost of € 47.5 million. The involvement of a large number of municipalities in RHP project implementation will enable the programme to reach the most vulnerable beneficiaries throughout the Serbian territory.
Set up in 1956, the CEB (Council of Europe Development Bank) has 41 member states. Twenty-two Central, Eastern and South Eastern European countries, forming the Bank's target countries, are listed among the member states. As a major instrument of the policy of solidarity in Europe, the Bank finances social projects by making available resources raised in conditions reflecting the quality of its rating (Aa1 with Moody's, outlook stable, AA+ with Standard & Poor's, outlook stable and AA+ with Fitch Ratings, outlook stable). It thus grants loans to its member states, and to financial institutions and local authorities in its member states for the financing of projects in the social sector, in accordance with its Articles of Agreement.