SARAJEVO: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday a pledge of 20 million euros in immediate aid for Bosnia following devastating floods that resulted in loss of life and widespread destruction.
Earlier this month, floods and landslides claimed 27 lives and caused significant damage, washing away roads, railway tracks, and bridges and isolating many communities in central and southern Bosnia. Most of the victims were from the village of Donja Jablanica, located approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Sarajevo.
During her visit to the village on Thursday, part of a tour of six Balkan nations, von der Leyen emphasized the urgent need for assistance. “At the moment, you need immediate help… therefore, we decided to mobilize 20 million euros ($21.6 million) for immediate support, and subsequently, the EU Solidarity Fund will assist you,” she stated at a press conference in Sarajevo alongside Bosnian Prime Minister Borjana Kristo.
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Local media reports estimate the damage in five municipalities, not including the destroyed transport infrastructure, at least 89.5 million euros.
Von der Leyen’s Balkan tour began in Albania on Wednesday, where she reaffirmed that EU membership expansion would be a priority for Brussels. Discussions about EU enlargement in the Balkan region, which has nearly 18 million residents, have been ongoing for two decades, with varying levels of commitment from the EU.
The six countries involved—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia—are at different stages in their pursuit of EU membership.
