Cacak
MEETING IN THE OFFICE OF THE LOCAL COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES
March 15th, 2007
The meeting was attended by Snezana Radovanovic, commissioner for refugees in Cacak, Rada Rados of the Red Cross in Cacak, Nena Toljic of the "Horizons" NGO and Marija Simovic of the Swedish Committee for Refugees from former Yugoslavia.
The "Zdravo da ste" NGO has stopped working due to the lack of funds - they can't afford to pay the rent any more.
The only program the Danish Refugee Council has at the moment is a program of micro-credits.
Snezana Radovanovic, local commissioner for refugees in Cacak:The project of the INTERSOS is partially completed. 15 projects related with farming have been approved in the area of Cacak - pigs, sheep, cows, green house equipment, a motocultivator with a trailer, a plough, equipment for making brandy, etc. have been distributed, depending on the project.
People can still apply for aid in building materials and also for the program of purchase of village households.
The UN Habitat is still in the phase of construction when it comes to apartments for socially vulnerable categories - refugees and local families. A total of 76 apartments are being built - 61 for refugees and 15 for local vulnerable families.
In the opinion of the participants of the meeting, the rent for the apartments is unreasonably high, given that the apartments are intended for socially vulnerable persons - the rent is almost the same as the rent in private accommodation in the town.
The UN Habitat has already set up the criteria for eligible applicants. We have noticed that the required minimum income is very high - a household of one member must have monthly income of 150-450 euros, and a family of four members must have 90-230 euros per member per month. It doesn't make any sense, because normally, persons with similar incomes are not regarded as vulnerable persons.
All the collective centers in the area of Cacak are closed. Only an old refugee couple has stayed in the mountain of Zdravljak because they have nowhere else to go. Their future is uncertain because if someone buys the facilities of the former collective center, the old couple will have to leave and they have no place to go. They don't want to go to the old people's home for refugees in Pozega.
Nena Toljic of the "Horizons" NGO:
UNHCR continues with the project of one-time cash aid of 3.000 dinars for the most vulnerable families in the most difficult situation. Last year six families received this form of aid.
30 packages of blankets, sponges, kitchen utensils, etc. were distributed last year on the territory of our municipality.
Rada Rados of the Red Cross in Cacak:
The local Red Cross is Cacak has a course in first aid, sexually transmitted diseases and drug addiction. The course lasts 12 months and it is intended for teenagers.
Nikola Lazic, an internally displaced boy from Kosovo who comes to our internet club regularly, has travelled to Greece again. His host family in Greece has decided to help him so they have come to Cacak to make the arrangements. So now the Greek family is paying the rent for Nikola and his mother. The only source of income for the boy and his mother is family allowance (MOP) and the compensation she is receiving for her disability - she is almost completely blind.
A girl from the village of Zablace near Cacak has also travelled to Greece and the Greek family with whom she stayed will pay the travel expenses for her and her sister so they can go to Greece together for Easter.
Marija Simovic of the Swedish Committee for Refugees:
The Swedish Committee continues with the free internet program and the program of free help for children in maths, physics and English. I informed the assembly of my trip to Sweden and our efforts to reduce the number of deportees. I also informed them of our second delivery of aid in firewood for the camp in Novi Pazar this winter.
Together with the representatives of the local Red Cross, we have visited the oldest citizen of Cacak, and we also plan to visit a Roma settlement in Cacak, again with a representative of the local Red Cross.
Note by Marija Simovic |
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