The Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Aleksandar Martinović, PhD, has visited today the flooded areas in Vrnjačka Banja, as one of the 56 local self-governments in which the Government of the Republic of Serbia declared a state of natural disaster at yesterday’s session.
Pointing out that a Working Group has been formed for the coordination of activities on the remediation of the consequences of floods and the preparation of state aid and reconstruction programmes after the floods, Martinović has pointed out that the Government of the Republic of Serbia, together with the Public Water Management Company “Srbijavode” and other competent institutions, will strive to repair the damage in all 56 local self-governments as soon as possible, and that no municipality nor city shall be forgotten and left to fend for themselves.
“Since 2014, the State has invested exceptionally large amount of funds in order to protect the entire territory of the Republic of Serbia from floods. However, in June of this year, we were hit by the so-called ‘torrential floods’ which have not been recorded in recent times. Here in Vrnjačka Banja, it rained almost continuously for 20 days, while torrential watercourses caused enormous damage in some places. For the Government of the Republic of Serbia, it is now a priority to collect accurate and detailed information as soon as possible, record the damage caused in all local self-governments, and create a plan for repairing the damage according to the list of priorities,” Martinović has said.
Emphasizing that ministers in the Government of the Republic of Serbia shall visit every municipality and city where a state of natural disaster has been declared, he added that good cooperation between the State and local self-governments is of crucial importance in order to compensate for the damage in the most efficient way, and to continue the work on the construction of ramparts and protection from floods.
Martinović has thanked the President of the Municipality of Vrnjačka Banja, Boban Đurović, and the entire municipal leadership, as well as the Emergency Staff of the Raška Administrative District, for being on the ground with the citizens from the first day. As he said, the municipality reacted on time, the water did not enter residential buildings, and the State will help to solve the most urgent problems as soon as possible, especially bearing in mind that Vrnjačka Banja is a tourist place and that it is important for the tourist season to pass with as little losses as possible.
Photo gallery – Source: MDULS and Vesna Đorđević/Vrnjačke novine
