Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia Rasim Ljajić and the Turkish Ambassador to Serbia Mehmet Bozaj delivered today dehumidifiers (wall dryers) to the crisis staff in the Municipalities of Svilajnac and Jagodina, for the walls of the buildings affected or damaged by the floods.
The Turkish Ambassador stated that the Turkish Government provided 400 wall dryers for the municipalities affected by the floods and that it will provide 600 more in the upcoming days.
During his visit to the sports hall in Svilajnac, where aid is being collected for citizens affected by the floods, that none of the municipalities and cities in Serbia who have been affected by the floods will be forgotten and that the government must take care of every part of the country.
“Every part of the country is equally important to us; therefore all of them will be treated the same way in repairing the damage,” said Ljajić.
The Turkish donation is valued at 40,000 euros and it provided 400 wall dryers, when it provides 600 more dryers, the value of the donation will be 100,000 euros.
“This will help in providing the conditions for the return of the citizens to their homes and in assisting those in need. We must be prepared for any type of natural disaster and we must no longer look to the sky and hope to avoid new trouble,” said Ljajić.
Commending the gesture of the Turkish government, Ljajić said that the Serbian Government will provide enough water and food for 2,000 people who are affected by the floods in Svilajnac, and who are now being supplied with support by crisis staff.
He said that the amounts of food necessary for life will arrive tomorrow.
The Turkish Ambassador Kemal Bozaj said that the Turkish Government will help the Serbian people in the process of rehabilitation after the floods, and sent its condolences to the victims of the flood.
He said that a few days before the floods in Serbia, Turkey suffered a major disaster where more than 200 miners perished.
“Serbia needs help and we inquired what we can do to help because when something like this happens, it is the other countries’ duty to help,” said the Ambassador.
After presenting the donation to the crisis staff in Svilajnac, Ljajić and Bozaj visited a nursery where water has not receded after the flooding.
40 wall dryers were handed to the representatives of the crisis staff in Jagodina and Ljajić noted that this is only part of the aid to flood victims and thanked the Turkish Government for their help.
“This begins the second phase of the natural disaster rehabilitation, and the remaining phase is no small part of the job, in order to enable the normalization of life in every municipality or city in Serbia,” said Ljajić.
“No part of the country will be forgotten, and the solidarity demonstrated by our people in recent days is at a high level and it is necessary that it remain that way in the coming days,” said Ljajić.
He said it was evident that donations will not be enough to solve all the problems and that there is a need to engage the whole society in order to help citizens overcome this crisis and normalize their lives as soon as possible.
The Turkish Ambassador Kemal Bozaj said that the Turkish Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, talked with colleagues from Serbia to see what is necessary to help the affected population.
He said that the Turkish Government will continue to provide assistance during the period of rehabilitation of facilities and households.
While delivering the donation, Vice President Ljajić and Ambassador Bozaj visited the village Rakitovo which was affected by the floods, and then they visited the cultural center, where aid in clothing and shoes is being collected for the locals, and delivered the wall dryers.
All local governments affected by flooding can submit a request for wall dryers, from the Turkish donation, to the Republic Directorate for Commodity Reserves which will then deliver them for use in repairing the damage.
