Odžak, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 21 March 2023 – Today marked another key milestone for the Regional Housing Programme (RHP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as a further 20 beneficiary families celebrated the receipt of new apartments in Odžak, bringing the Programme closer to its objective of delivering homes to approximately 11 300 families across the Western Balkans region by end-June 2023.

In addition to the beneficiaries themselves, the event was attended by Gianluca Vannini, Head of Operations, Section for Social Development, Civil Society and Cross-Border Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to BiH; Edin Ramić, Minister of Displaced Persons and Refugees in the Federation of BiH; Nada Ćulap, Mayor of Odžak; Jasmin Handžić, Chief of Cabinet of the Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH; Nermina Džepar-Ganibegović, RHP Country Housing Project Lead Manager at the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH; Sanja Hamidović, Programme Manager at the EU Delegation to BiH, and Amela Tandara, National Programme Officer at the OSCE Mission to BiH.

RHP building in Odžak, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Delivering the keys to the beneficiary families, Gianluca Vannini congratulated the BiH authorities for the completion of more than 2 500 Housing Units to date, and noted with satisfaction that a total of close to 34 000 people across the region should have received new homes by the close of the RHP. “This is a true reason for celebration,” he said.

Minister Ramić, Mayor Ćulap, Gianluca Vannini and Jasmin Handžić cut the ribbon to the RHP building in Odžak

Minister Ramić shared this sentiment. “This has been another successfully implemented RHP project for the benefit of 20 returnee families in need,” he said. “It is clear that attention was paid to every detail during construction, from the energy efficiency of the building to its appearance and functionality.”

Finally, on behalf of the beneficiaries, Jozo Križan, whose family of three received one of the apartments, thanked RHP Donors, implementing partner organizations, national and local institutions, before adding that he was so excited that he was simply lost for words.

RHP beneficiaries and stakeholders in front of the apartment building in Odžak