site.btaKristalina Georgieva: "European Commission Will Back Comprehensive Disaster Recovery Programme for Mizia, Vratsa Region"

Mizia, Northwestern Bulgaria, August 13 (BTA) - "The most reasonable option for this region is to draw up a comprehensive recovery and disaster prevention programme," EU International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva said here on Wednesday. "The European Commission will react favourably to such comprehensive programme in a high-unemployment municipality like Mizia in the EU's poorest region," she added.

Georgieva, Interior Minister Yordan Bakalov and Bulgarian Red Cross President Hristo Grigorov visited the town that was devastated by flooding in early August, which took four lives and destroyed dozens of houses.

The guests took part in a meeting of the crisis force task, talked to evacuees from the town's submerged neighbourhoods and visited some of the disaster-hit properties.

"Within 12 weeks we will know whether damages in the region exceed 41 million euro, which would qualify it to apply for aid from the EU Solidarity Fund," the Commissioner said. According to early estimates, the torrential rains and subsequent flooding in the Vratsa Region inflicted damages worth 30 million euro, Vratsa Regional Governor said. He specified that this amount does not cover the damages in Byala Slatina and Mizia municipalities which are not yet finalized.
 
Twenty-seven prisoners will join the relief effort in Mizia. The first seven have already arrived and started work. The other 20 are expected on Thursday.

The decision to let prisoners help in the relief work was made by Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov. The inmates serve time in the prison in Vratsa, Northwestern Bulgaria.

According to the Implementation of Penal Sanctions and Detention in Custody Act, prison administrations may assign voluntary unpaid labour to inmates with their express consent in writing.

Meanwhile, Labour and Social Policy Minister Yordan Hristoskov said on Wednesday that the caretaker Cabinet has approved a decision under which the families of each of the four victims of the flooding in Mizia will be paid 10,000 leva.

Hristoskov said also that under various subsidized employment programmes the Ministry has sent 750 people to help in areas which suffered in the summer floodings. He said more people can be committed.

The head of the crisis task force in Mizia, Senior Commissioner Vassil Vassilev, said that more than 190 volunteers joined the relief effort on Wednesday. Vassilev said the situation in the town is gradually going back to normal. All streets in the town have been cleaned, as well as 70 per cent of the affected private housing. Work is now concentrated in the three low-lying neighbourhoods of the town where there are still
 flooded homes and yards. Trailers continue to be towed in for the people who have lost their homes.