17.08.2014.

The Armed Forces helping in Obrenovac again

Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Marko Blagojevic, Director of the Government Office for Reconstruction and Flood Relief, visited Obrenovac. After talks with the president of this municipality Miroslav Cuckovic at the building of the Municipality of Obrenovac, they visited one of the nine households where the process of reparation and building new houses will begin on Tuesday.

Of 169 objects that have been reported to have been demolished during the floods in May, damage has so far been confirmed on 69, since they are main residential objects, and the Municipality has so far issued only 9 orders for the beginning of reconstruction.

Minister Gasic visited the Ivanovic family in 65 Kninska Street, in Rvati, since this is the house where the reparation process will begin. He announced that, on Tuesday, members of the Armed Forces of Serbia will start clearing up parcels and taking out trash and waste so the building of houses could begin. Minister also pointed out that there is no more time for waiting.

- We cannot wait for all the orders to be formally and legally binding, until the end of the deadline for complaint filing, to beginning clearing up the terrain. The municipality needs to work much faster – Gasic pointed out, and stressed that they have agreed during the meeting for the part of Obrenovac where the barracks used to be, and where around 500 people are currently situated, to be rearranged, even though this location was among the first ones to be arranged.

- The people who are there need to understand that they need to keep their environment clean as well, because it is impossible for us to constantly send public utility companies to take care of that area – Gasic said.

Defence Minister expects for all 69 locations determined for building new objects to be cleared up, arranged and prepared for building new houses by the end of the week.

Gasic and Blagojevic then visited the Urosevic family in 38 Kninska Street and the Drakulic family in 29 Brace Golubovica Street.

Marko Blagojevic said that the Armed Forces are paving the road for the contractors and stressed that they will not stop until all of those who had lost their home get a roof over their heads.

President of the Municipality of Obrenovac talked about the households that, according to the damage categorization, had suffered damages, and whose homes haven’t collapsed and said that, so far, 2,100 orders have been issued, and that 470 of those have become legally binding. According to him, this work will be finished until the end of August.

Blagojevic added to this data those concerning entire Serbia and said that 4,100 orders have been issued so far and that this process will most likely be finished by the end of August. According to him, houses will primarily be built from the donations budget.

While the construction of the facilities is under way, talks are being led with numerous donators about flood defence systems that have been damaged or destroyed during the floods.