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Commissioner Stylianides announces EU support for refugees in Serbia

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides visited Belgrade, Serbia, on the 21st and 22nd January to discuss EU humanitarian support for refugees in the country. He visited a reception centre in the Belgrade area and met with EU humanitarian partners that are working to deliver aid this winter. The Commissioner held meetings both with Prime Minister Vučić and Aleksandar Vulin, Minister for Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy.

Commissioner Stylianides issued a statement on Sunday recalling the EU's commitment to provide concrete support and funding to improve the situation of refugees in Serbia, "Vulnerable refugees, including young children, are still in need of assistance. We can't leave them to face the harsh winter conditions alone. We are stepping up our humanitarian assistance in Serbia bringing it to a total of €20 million. We will continue working closely with the Serbian authorities with the help of UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations to meet the most urgent needs, in particular to ensure that centres are adequate for the winter. Together, as Europeans, we have a moral obligation and humanitarian duty to act and help."

Since the beginning of the crisis more than €44 million have been allocated to help Serbia, both through humanitarian aid and pre-accession assistance, making the EU the largest donor in this respect.