The Serbian government today declared a state of emergency in 5 cities and 11 municipalities, whose territories were damaged by fires this month, the cabinet website announced after today's meeting, BTA reports.
Hundreds of fires swept through southern and central Serbia on July 7, with many villages evacuated and people's property damaged or completely destroyed.
The government's announcement states that the decision to declare a state of emergency was made after "prolonged drought and lack of precipitation, due to extremely high temperatures and hurricane winds, as a result of which large fires swept through part of the territory of Serbia, causing enormous damage".
The state of emergency has been declared in the Serbian cities of Prokuplje, Kruševac, Čačak, Kragujevac and Bor.
With the cabinet's decision, the municipalities of Boynik, Lebane, Ivanica, Aleksinac, Rača, Knić, Žitoraja, Blace, Kuršumlija, Golubac and Mionica acquired the same status.
"The important thing for the people is that we have started clearing the ruins in the municipality of Žitoraja. With the help of donors, the victims will get a roof over their heads as soon as possible. We are looking for ways to compensate for some of the loss of livestock so that the population can move on. You saw many ministers who went to the scene to talk to the victims. I will also go in about 15 days to see what we have done," he told the private TV "Pink" this evening. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
Yesterday, Vučić visited some of the areas most affected by the fires, but interrupted his statement to the media because he started a phone conversation with Dragan Glamočić, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, and gave him instructions on what to do to help the victims.
Meanwhile, the Serbian government has allocated 350 million dinars (3 million euros) to help those most affected by the natural disaster.