Norway among biggest donors to flood-stricken Serbia

Norway among biggest donors to flood-stricken Serbia

BELGRADE -- Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić has thanked the Kingdom of Norway for being one of the largest donors that are helping with the flood relief effort.

He at the same time welcomed the decision of the Scandinavian country to fund 35 projects for the media and civil society.

Serbia will remember what Norway did to help it now, and has always done in the past, Vučić told reporters at the residence of the Norwegian ambassador in Belgrade, where the grants were presented on Friday.

Wishing to convey how important the country's assistance is, Vučić said: "If we had ten Norways today we would breathe easier, but we do not."

Norway has so far set aside around three million euros to help the most vulnerable, said Norwegian Ambassador Nils Ragnar Kamsvag.

The United Nations yesterday sent equipment for toilets and generators worth USD 583,000 - a shipment, the diplomat explained, that was funded by his country.

Norway then donated USD 627,000 to the Serbian Government to be used for water purification and water tanks, while two more million euros will be donated for the reconstruction of schools and public institutions once these projects have been prepared.

In addition, Norway has decided to immediately give half a million euros to civil society organizations and local self-governments in areas that have been hardest hit by the flooding.

The Norwegian Red Cross is at the same time raising funds for Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and by Thursday collected almost EUR 190,000.

"Our support to the government and the civil society is based on a deep belief that citizens, governments and...