EU launches first phase of housing stock rehabilitation

Last week, as part of the European Union's Flood Recovery Programme, the rehabilitation of 200 priority housing units began in areas that suffered flood damage in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the rehabilitation of an additional 150 is expected to start next week. The works are expected to be completed within 45 days, the EU Delegation to BiH announced, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

The selection of an additional 300 housing units will be made in the coming weeks, bringing the total number of households on the priority rehabilitation list to 650.

As stated by Andy Mcguffie, spokesperson for the EU Delegation to BiH and the EU Special Representative. The focus will be on families residing in collective accommodation who, according to the records of competent social work centres, belong to a particularly vulnerable category.

- In order to provide them with assistance in returning more quickly, considering the upcoming cold weather conditions - says Mcguffie.

Edis Arifagić, UNDP Programme Manager, stated that the selection of beneficiaries will be carried out primarily through public calls.

- The housing units of the most endangered families will be rehabilitated as a priority, and cooperation with local government representatives will be a strong support in this process - explained Arifagić.

A public call has been issued for an additional 1,200 beneficiaries, inviting families in the municipalities of Bijeljina, Šamac, Doboj, Maglaj, Orašje, Odžak, Brčko District BiH, and Domaljevac to apply by October 1, 2014.

During its duration, the Flood Recovery Programme aims to rehabilitate a total of 4,000 housing units damaged by floods, or provide direct assistance for the return of around 14,000 people to their homes.