Text of interview with Deputy Head of Delegation Dr Renzo Daviddi, published by Dnevni Avaz.

The European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina is planning to secure roofs over some 14,000 heads, who were hit by the floods, by beginning of the winter.

Work is already being done on reconstruction of many schools, healthcare institutions, roads, water pipes…in order to restore lives of people, who lost so much, back to normal.

Spending money

As addition to these efforts, the EU to BiH is working on, apart from restoring the situation to the one before the floods, creating 2,000 new jobs in those areas in order to improve lives.

Renzo Daviddi, who is second in command in the EU Delegation to BiH, says in an interview for ‘Dnevni avaz’ that all 85 million Euros, which are at disposal of his office for our country, will be spent so concrete progress is felt.

“Some 43 million Euros is already being implemented. Urgent projects are being implemented. The money is here, it is known where it is going and results will be presented very soon. The remaining 42 million Euros have to go through the Presidency of BiH, the Council of Ministers and the State Parliament. It takes time, and when the procedure is over, and we hope there will be no postponement, that money will be spent too”, said Daviddi.

He says that during the month of July reconstruction of houses, school healthcare institutions and buildings of administration begun.

“We are currently reconstructing 70 schools and pre-schools, and works on 20 more such facilities will begin this week. It total, 121 schools suffered bigger or smaller damages during the floods. Some school can fix the damages by themselves because they are minimal. A lot of activities in this area is being carried out in Maglaj, Doboj, Samac…We will equip 200 classrooms too. We want that the schools we are currently working on are reconstructed by end of September.

Furthermore, we have started in Maglaj, and we’ll start in Samac this week – reconstruction of a clinic. Reconstruction of these facilities is to follow in Domaljevac and Doboj. Everything must be finished 60 days after start of the works.

We are reconstructing buildings of municipalities in Maglaj, Doboj and Samac. It is about big projects. In Bijeljina, we have started the reconstruction of the building of welfare center. Deadlines are short there too and all must be finished within next few months. We are urgently working on reconstruction of houses. Priority is persons in collective centers, some 300 families. After that the network will spread and 4,000 families should get roofs over their heads by beginning of winter”, says Daviddi.

He also stresses that, through the UNDP, work is being done on reconstruction of the water network and sewage, and local bridges and roads.

He explains that this non-governmental organization has been chosen because it can quickly do the needed jobs, and their standards are compatible to the EU standards.

Inset ‘Necessary economic reforms’

“There is a difference between the damage assessment and what was collected during the donors’ conference. There was never a plan to collect all the money for recovery from floods at the gathering. The money was collected to solve short-term and medium-term problems.

Moreover, money that is pumped into the economy should be fertilized and returned to the recovery funds. But in order to do it, some structural reforms have to be implemented”, stressed Daviddi, explaining the structure of aid and the EU’s expectations in terms of recovery from floods.