The Event Has Been Held in the Presence Of

Press Release

Kladovo, 22 January 2015

The Official Ceremony was held today in Kladovo, announcing the signing of Memorandum of Understanding for construction of another larger size prefabricated house comprising 4 smaller housing units within the Project “European Union Support for Improving of the living Conditions of Forced Migrants”, funded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia and implemented by the Danish Refugee Council with the support of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migrations of the Republic of Serbia and Kladovo Municipality. This Project is part of a more comprehensive program funded by the European Union supporting improvement of living conditions of forced migrants – “For A Better Life”, with the total value of 14.2 million euro.

The event has been held in the presence of: - Mr Radovan Arezina, President of Kladovo Municipality - Ms Ljubica Mitrovic, representative of Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia - Mr Zivorad Popovic, Housing Solutions Coordinator, Program Monitoring Unit of the Delegation of EU to the Republic of Serbia - Mrs. Verica Recevic, Program Manager of Danish Refugee Council Serbia

In total, the residential block of prefabricated houses will have four larger size prefabricated houses, each comprising 4 prefabricated apartment units for single-headed families (12 refugee and internally displaced families from the Collective Center “Karatas” and 4 most vulnerable domicile families). The approximate value of a prefabricated housing block with basic furnishing will be approximately EUR170.000, funded by Delegation of the European Union. Kladovo Municipality will be the owner of housing units with all the rights and responsibilities emanating thereof, while the residents of prefabricated housing units will have the right of use without gaining property. Kladovo Municipality will participate in the Project by donating the construction plot equipped with all necessary infrastructure and urban planning and technical documentation.

Danish Refugee Council and Humanitarian Centre for Integration and Tolerance will assist the families to obtain personal documents necessary for participation in the project, as well as to prepare for independent living conditions in this type of housing solution. Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the Centre for Social Work in Kladovo will offer all necessary support for the implementation of these activities, with the aim of providing durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons who have been living in the harsh conditions of the collective center for years.

The EU funded Project “For a Better Life” is coherent with the government policies on refug ees, IDPs and returnees and fully reflects their core principle – support integration of forced migrants who chose to stay in Serbia and support the sustainable return of those wishing to return to Kosovo.

“European Union Support for Improving of the Living Conditions of Forced Migrants” Project funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Foundation Ana and Vlade Divac, the City of Pancevo and Fund for Aid to Refugees, Expelled and Displaced Persons, Republic of Serbia – AP Vojvodina and implemented by Danish Refugee Council with Humanitarian Center for Integration and Tolerance.