On 1st of September in Belgrade, 302 refugee families from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia were awarded agreements for the delivery of building material packages in the City of Belgrade. The delivery is planned to start in October 2017 and the installation is expected to be finalised by July 2018.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Dušan Bubulj, said that he has been living in rented apartments since he and his family fled the house they owned in Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The family fled by car with their two children and came to Zemun, Belgrade, in the early nineties. The building material he received today will help them finish the house they started building in Zemun and celebrate the family Saint in their own home, for the first time after 25 years.

These 302 housing solutions are part of the third RHP sub-project for Serbia (SRB3). The total value of the sub-project amounts to EUR 13 million and will provide a durable housing solution to some 700 families in the City of Belgrade. 69 village houses have already been purchased under this sub-project and a further 235 housing units should be completed still this year, once the construction of apartments in Ovča, Belgrade, is completed.

The contracts were handed over by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić, Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović and Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Andreja Mladenović, and others. First DMP Dačić stressed that he is proud to see today numerous RHP construction sites being visible all around Serbia, showing the concrete results of this programme five years since it started. “However, we must not forget that the houses alone are not sufficient, we must also put efforts to ensure the sustainability of the Programme.”

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić handing over a contract to a beneficiary

Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović

Nicolas Bizel, Head of Section for Justice, Home affairs and Social Inclusion at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, underlined that the EU will continue assisting Serbia in providing houses to refugees until the last one of them receives an adequate housing solution. The European Commission is the largest RHP donor followed by the United States of America and numerous other bilateral Donors.

Stephan Sellen, Deputy Director General from the Council of Europe Development Bank, stressed that “The Council of Europe Development Bank – together with our valuable implementing partners – is determined to support Serbia in its efforts and thereby make the RHP a success and an example to follow“.

HE Andrea Orizio, Ambassador, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia said that RHP is and excellent example of successful partnership between Serbian institutions and international partners, aiming to provide housing to those most in need, while Hans Friedrich Schodder, Head of the UNHCR Office in Serbia, stressed that the UNHCR, together with the OSCE, remains committed to continuing to support the Serbian Government in the monitoring of RHP beneficiary selection and sustainability.

Vladimir Cucić, Commissioner for Refugees and Migration, said: “I am proud and honoured to be here, in front of all of you today. I would like to thank the donors for their support and all our beneficiaries for their patience and trust.”

302 beneficiary families attended the event