Ambassador Warlick Marks the Opening of another Social Housing Building in Serbia

September 12, 2012

Ambassador Warlick handing out the key to the future building resident

Ambassador Warlick, Bela Palanka Mayor Goran MIljkovic, Danish Refugee Council Director Marina Cremonese and Serbian Refugee Commissioner Vladimir Cucic cut the ribbon to open the social housing building

Ambassador Warlick participated in an official ceremony September 12 to mark the opening of a social housing project in Bela Palanka. PRM provided $220,000 for the new apartment building, which is now home to eight vulnerable refugee, displaced and local families (18 people).

The opening ceremony highlighted the value of a joint effort by several organizations and gathered Bela Palanka Mayor Goran Miljkovic, Republic of Serbia Commissioner for Refugees Vladimir Cucic, Marina Cremonese from the implementing partner Danish Refugee Council as well as a UNHCR representative. The dignitaries cut the ribbon and handed out the apartment keys to the new tenants.

Ambassador Warlick also took the opportunity to pay a courtesy call on newly-elected Mayor Miljkovic and discussed the local authorities’ plan to strengthen the economic situation of the vulnerable population in the housing project so that they can successfully integrate into local society. This social housing project is one part of a larger $700,000 PRM-funded FY12 project that provided permanent housing solutions for a total of 147 people who were able to move out of collective centers and other inadequate living conditions across Serbia where they had spend many years since their displacement.