Embassy of the United States Serbia

March 16, 2011

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for your cordial welcome and for hosting me today for my first visit to Loznica.

I have just had a fruitful discussion with Mayor Petrovic and his team on a range of political and economic issues facing Loznica, including the economic crisis and the mayor’s vision for the way forward. We also discussed the flooding that struck the Loznica area last December.
In response to the flooding, the United States provided emergency funding to the Red Cross of Serbia to support its disaster relief and cleanup operations. More recently, we provided a variety of supplies to the Red Cross of Serbia to help it respond to any future flooding in the area, including cold weather clothing, sleeping bags, cots, jackets, gloves, and heaters. Later this afternoon, I will be meeting with some of the local families who benefitted from our assistance in December.

The United States has long been active in supporting the Loznica area in other ways as well, including cooperation to help attract more international investment to the municipality and helping to fund the overhaul of the historic buildings at Tršić, which I understand are now visited by over 100,000 tourists per year.

Thank you again, Mr. Mayor, for your hospitality. I hope that our cooperation and warm relations will continue in the future. I wish you continued success through this partnership and in all of your efforts to build a stronger and more prosperous municipality.