BRATISLAVA, April 2, (WEBNOVINY) – The European Parliament will vote on Wedneday on release of EUR 182.4 million from the Solidarity Fund to help six Central European countries including Slovakia cope with the impacts of 2010 flooding. The EP Budget Committee has approved the aid on March 31. The funds were approved in spite of the MPs‘ objections towards the means of financing, pushed through by the EU Council.
Estimated overall costs of the damages caused by the 2010 floods are 5.5 billion euro; the direct damages Slovakia suffered amount to over 561 million. Slovakia asked for some 20 million euro from the EU Solidarity Fund.
However, for a long time, the MPs were unable to agree with member states on the way of financing the aid. According to the EP budget committee MPs, in the future, creation of a mechanism for coping with unexpected and urgent situations would be needed.
SITA
