The EU is ready to assist Serbia as if it were already a member state, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn underscored in Brussels on May 21.

Hahn stressed out the EU is ready to aid Serbia through the civil protection program, solidarity fund and IPA funds, after talks with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and Minister without Portfolio responsible for EU integration Jadranka Joksimovic He noted that the demage caused by the severe flash floods crossed the threshold of 0,64 percent of the gross national income, or EUR 175 million, which means that the country satisfied the requirement for assistance from the EU solidarity fund. Dacic said that the Serbian delegation came to Brussels to learn more about the mechanism for accessing the Union’s funds.

Our country has never been in a situation to apply for this kind of assistance, he said, thanking the EU for aid it offered to Serbia that is fighting floods.

We agreed that Commissioner Hahn should come to Serbia as soon as possible and that his department will help us apply for assistance from the EU solidarity fund, the Serbian foreign minister said. He expects that Serbia, with the help of the European Commission and Commissioner Hahn will submit the application very soon.

Joksimovic voiced confidence that the EU funds will far exceed the donations from any individual country, nothing that this best proves how important the process of EU integration is to Serbia.