The Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and the President of the Coordination Body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the Municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa, Aleksandar Martinović, PhD, had visited today the southern region of Serbia and, in the village of Dedić, spoke with the local residents Ramadan Jakupi and Zena Ali, whose farms are located next to the agricultural and local roads which were destroyed during the June floods that hit the Municipality of Medveđa.
On this occasion, the minister emphasized that it is necessary to urgently rehabilitate this road, so that citizens can reach their houses and fields unhindered, and that he believes that the said rehabilitation works shall be completed by the end of the year.
He reiterated that the firm position of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, is to provide equal assistance to each of the 56 local self-governments which were affected by the floods.
“All good hosts live here in harmony and unity, both the Serbs and the Albanians, and both see Serbia as their homeland. We are obliged to equally assist everyone, not only in Medveđa, but also in Preševo and Bujanovac, which are also ethnically mixed areas, as well as to continue to nurture good relations between the Serbs and the Albanians, because that is the only guarantee of progress of this part of Serbia,” minister Martinović has stressed.
When asked by the journalists whether this first visit to the southern region of the country means that he will be more present in these parts after being appointed Head of the Coordination Body for the South of Serbia, Minister Martinović had answered affirmatively.
He said that it is in the interest of the State to improve relations between the Serbs and the Albanians, who should live not only next to each other, but in unity as well.
Minister Martinović had stressed that the State shall invest more funds so that youth can stay in the south of the country, and that the peace, harmony and economic progress of this region are the policies which are implemented and advocated by the leadership of Serbia.
The damage caused to infrastructure facilities in Medveđa was preliminarily estimated at more than RSD 273 million, of which the local road network suffered the most damage, while approximately RSD 173 million should be allocated for its rehabilitation. The damage in the area of agriculture amounts to approximately RSD 58 million, while the flood waters completely destroyed more than 160 hectares of agricultural land and plantations.
During today’s visit, minister Martinović had also visited the household of Milan Kontić, as well as the macadam road in the Šilovo settlement, and he spoke with the President of the Municipality of Medveđa, Dragan Kulić, about the situation in this area and the rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities.
Photo gallery – source: MDULS
