The BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Damir Ljubić, after a meeting wtiht he Assistant State Secretary of the US for Population, Refugees and Migration Anne Richard said that a meeting will be held in Belgrade of the Steering Committee for the implementation of the Regional Housing Program, where they will speak about the operational performance of this project, according to today’s Oslobođenje.
“We received the full support of the US government, primarily because as a member state in the implementation of this housing program we met all conditions, so we talked and asked for the support of the implementation of this project to start as soon as possible’’, said Ljubić, and added that it is planned for the first houses and the first renovation to begin at the beginning of September.
“However, we have to be honest, we are not satisfied with the dynamics and we looked to use this time for a better quality and faster preparations for the implementation of this project in the next year. We received full support for this’’, said Ljubić.
He recalled that the implementation of the regional housing program would not be possible and successful without partners that help in the selection of beneficiaries, among which are UNHCR, OSCE and others.
“We have an estimate, a promise that by the end of the year around 100 million euros will be paid from the account of the Development Bank of the Council of Europe. We received a guarantee of the US, they have actually fulfilled their contribution, to speak with representatives of the European Commission for them to support this project by paying funds’’, said Ljubić. He said that they received a guarantee from some other international institutions and organizations that are ready to help, whether through donors or loan funds, ‘’so that the question of displaced persons and refugees is finally resolved in the next period, as envisaged in our revised strategy’’.
When it comes to the closing of collective centers, Minister Ljubić expressed hope that in the next three years all of them are expected to be closed, in which around 2.700 families live there now.
“We in BiH believe that we will resolve the issue of refugees and displaced peoples. It is up to us to find mutual ways in order to accelerate this process’’, added Ljubić.
(Source: Fena)
