Prnjavor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 May 2020 – There was a clear sense of anticipation in the air in Prnjavor, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) today, as a further 14 Regional Housing Programme beneficiary families received keys to their new apartments after many years of displacement. The new residential building was constructed under the RHP sub-project BiH3, at a cost of approximately EUR 313 000.

The small ceremony was hosted by Željka Cvijanović, President of the Republika Srpska; Miloš Lučić, the new Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH; Marko Aćić, Acting Director of the Republic Secretariat for Displaced Persons and Migration, and Darko Tomaš, the Mayor of Prnjavor.

Željka Cvijanović, President of the Republika Srpska, with one of the beneficicaries

Minister Lučić noted that thanks to the RHP Donors – and particularly the European Union, which is the main Donor to the Programme – a further 1 700 housing units will be built for refugees and displaced persons in BiH by 2022. “This programme is extremely important for families who have not had a roof over their heads to date,” he said. ‟The RHP plays a vital role in resolving the issue of refugees and displaced persons – not only in BiH, but across the region as a whole.”

Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH, Miloš Lučić

The beneficiary families were delighted with their new homes. “We are pleased to see that the apartments have been constructed to such a high standard,” two of the families, the Ožegovićs and the Novakovićs, remarked. ‟Everything is great! We will respect our obligations as tenants to ensure that this building continues to be well-maintained.”