Vukovar, Croatia 30 July 2019 – RHP stakeholders assembled in Vukovar today to celebrate the launch of the construction of a residential building for 21 RHP beneficiary families.

Nikola Mazar, State Secretary at the Central State Office for Reconstruction and Housing Care, stated: “68% of the funds allocated for this project are donor funds, which will be used to take care of the most vulnerable persons, to be selected in accordance with the applicable procedures and UNHCR criteria. In 400 days, we expect the construction works to be finalised and we will then meet each other here again, with our beneficiaries.”

Mario Pavlovic, Regional Liaison Officer of the UNHCR Representation for South Eastern Europe, highlighted that “The most vulnerable persons – project beneficiaries – are not most vulnerable because they are powerless, handicapped or incapable – those are persons who are victims of the war. That’s why we are all together working on an integrated approach to assist them in having a better life and a future. ”

Wylita Bell, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission from the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, stated that the conflicts in the region during the nineties left too many people without their homes, possessions and livelihoods. She emphasised that the RHP is more than the construction of apartment buildings it is about proposing just solutions for people who were forcibly displaced.

The Mayor of Vukovar, Ivan Penava, thanked all who are contributing to the implementation of the RHP building in Vukovar, which has a total cost of EUR 1.2 million: “In addition to providing a roof over their heads for the families, our goal is also to offer them economic perspectives, in partnership with other institutions.”

RHP info desk: Secretariat of the Regional Housing Programme ceb-rhp@coebank.org