Selakovic: The state is investing in the reconstruction of Smederevska Palanka, helping provide care to refugees

28. Dec 2021.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and President of the Commission for Coordination of the Process of Permanent Integration of Refugees, Nikola Selakovic, attended today in Smederevska Palanka the handing over of keys to the apartments intended for refugees.

Apartments for 15 refugee families from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia were awarded within Subproject 9 of the Regional Housing Programme.

Addressing the families who received apartments, Selakovic wished them happiness and good health, and that only beautiful and good things happen to them in their new apartments.

 

The Minister stated that the 15 families who were awarded apartments, and who fled and were displaced from BiH and Croatia, enriched the municipality of Smederevska Palanka, where they arrived during the unfortunate war events, faced with torment and misfortune and seeking salvation, refuge and a roof over their heads in the motherland of Serbia.

According to the Minister, the building in which those families will be accommodated was built and equipped in just one year, which showed that everything is possible when the brothers agree, as the saying goes.

Minister Selakovic said that the state was investing in the renovation of Smederevska Palanka, not only when it comes to providing care to refugees, but also bringing in investors, opening new jobs, reconstructing public buildings and renovating the Pinosava Monastery.

"As someone who worked with Aleksandar Vucic for three and a half years, as his Secretary General, I know how much attention he paid to Smederevska Palanka and how much energy and desire there was for Palanka to get back on its feet", said the Head of Serbian diplomacy and expressed his belief that very soon, in the years ahead, the highway to be named after Vozd Karadjordje would pass through the municipality of Smederevska Palanka.

The Regional Housing Programme is a joint initiative of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro, and the goal of the Programme is to make a comprehensive contribution to solving the problems of refugees and displaced persons by providing durable and sustainable housing solutions.

The ceremony of handover of apartment keys was attended, among others, by Commissioner for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia Vladimir Cucic, Head of Political at EU Delegation to Serbia Dirk Lorenz and Mayor of Smederevska Palanka Nikola Vucen.