Serbian FM: Serbia can count on EU help

Serbian FM: Serbia can count on EU help

BRUSSELS -- Ivica Dačić said on Wednesday that the most important message to the Serbian public is that the EU will help after the catastrophic floods of the past few days.

The Serbian first deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ivica Dačić made the statement after meeting on Wednesday in Brussels with European Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn.

“The most important message for the citizens of Serbia are his words that the EU will help Serbia, that it will help in the very application for assistance (from the EU Solidarity Fund), since we are facing these issues for the very first time, as we are the first time in a situation where we are using those funds as a candidate (for EU membership),” Dačić told reporters in Brussels.

Hahn is responsible for managing the EU Solidarity Fund.

Dačić said that "rumors" about half a billion or one billion euros from the fund are not true, but it is true that we are dealing with a significant amount of money.

“The sooner we submit the application the sooner it will be decided, and it requires the consent of the (European) Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council,” said Dačić.

Hahn wrote on his Twitter account earlier that Serbia can count on the EU assistance.

“Now meeting Serbian FM Dačić to say Serbia is eligible for EU solidarity fund after floods in same way as any EU member. Can rely on EU,” he wrote.