Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi, and Head of UNOPS Office in Serbia Michela Telatin have signed today in Belgrade a grant agreement, worth EUR 4.9 million, to help Serbia in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant will enable the purchase of ventilators, tests and protective laboratory equipment. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been designated as the implementing partner.
This grant is part of the EUR 93 million-worth financial assistance the EU provides to Serbia for immediate, short- and medium-term measures for tackling the effects of COVID-19.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, the European Union has helped Serbia first through the evacuation of Serbian citizens from Wuhan and recently through financing the cost of five cargo planes transporting emergency medical equipment. It has also invited Serbia to join the EU Joint Procurement Agreement for medical products.
Minister for European Integration, National IPA Coordinator and Coordinator of Donor and Development Assistance Jadranka Joksimović and the Ministry for European Integration are constantly and intensively working with the European Union and bilateral partners. “Challenges are the same, it is only through cooperation and efficient solidarity that we can fight against the pandemic. These additional 4.9 million that we have signed today will urgently be directed towards the purchase of masks, ventilators, laboratory tests, intensive care monitors, non-contact thermometers and protective gear, triage containers and other necessary equipment. We are also in intensive and constant communication regarding the future direction of money from available EU funds for social and economic development, where EU support will be of great importance. We shall continue working!” said Joksimović.
“Europe is facing a very difficult situation. Thousands of people are infected and thousands are dying every day. In difficult times, we have to stick together, and I am happy that the European Union solidarity swiftly responded to Serbia’s request for assistance. We have allocated EUR 15 million for immediate needs. We have already fully funded the transport costs of the first five cargo planes carrying medical equipment, which arrived to Serbia in the past week. With this EUR 4.9 million grant agreement today we are helping Serbia purchase additional critical medical equipment. The EU will continue to provide support, both for immediate measures and for short- and medium-term measures, in the total amount of EUR 93 million, in accordance with Serbia’s needs'', said Ambassador Sem Fabrizi, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia.
This procurement of medical equipment – ventilators, laboratory equipment and tests, intensive care monitors, non-contact thermometers and protective gear, as well as containers required for triage, is conducted by the United Nations Office of Project Services – UNOPS.
About the EU in Serbia:
The European Union is Serbia’s accession partner, biggest investor, trade partner and donor. Since the beginning of Serbia’s accession negotiations in 2014, the EU has donated to Serbia almost EUR 2 billion in grants to support the modernisation of the country.
In the health sector alone, over the past two decades, the EU has granted and loaned EUR 450 million to Serbia for the purpose of modernising the system.
