Having toured Obrenovac with EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic assessed that the situation in the city was much better than previously.

The Minister pointed out that it was very useful for the Commissioner to witness the situation on site, in order for him and the whole EU Commission to grasp the extent of the tragedy that had hit Serbia. "We have not visited all the parts of the canal, but what we have seen is disastrous, having in mind that seven or eight days have passed since the wave topped, that the water is still not receding, and that it is difficult to tell when the area would be dry again. The aforesaid precedes the reconstruction of houses", Dacic said.

Asked whether more flood victims might be recovered, the Minister responded that the Commander of the Emergency Staff and Gendarmerie had explained that there were still parts of Obrenovac that needed to be searched and inspected, where water depth was high, and that should be approached carefully.

"As for the stories cropping up in various sources, we have not seen any victims. It is very important that everyone should have some sort of mutual responsibility. There is no need for information to be concealed. On the other hand, it is bad to introduce certain elements that have nothing to do with the reality and only making matters worse", Dacic stated.

At the same time, the Minister thanked all the Member States of the European Union, but also the states worldwide, along with the European Commission, for the assistance provided up to now.

Mr. Dacic said that the aim of Serbia was to submit to the European Commission the real information concerning damage assessment, so as to avoid exaggeration, to which, as the Minister added, the Serbian people was prone. Hence it was decided that the EU methodology for disaster damage assessment would be applied.

If the estimated damage amounted up to EUR 175 million, Serbia might expect an aid from the Solidarity Fund amounting to 2.5 % of the damage assessed, and if the damage proves to be in excess of that amount, Serbia could receive aid amounting to 6% of the damage.

 
FDPM and MFA I. Dacic: There are still some parts of Obrenovac under water

Source: Tanjug

FDPM and MFA I. Dacic on assessment of the damage caused by floods

Source: Tanjug