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January 17, 2011 - BEGINNING OF THE DEMINING ACTIVITY IN SERBIA

17. January 2011.

The surroundings of Paracin, Kopaonik Mt, Presevo, Bujanovac, Kursumlija, as well as the port of Prahovo, are the cites from where cluster bombs, live ammunition and  projectiles are going to be removed in 2011.

The removal of live ammunition is going to begin in mid-March, when the Russian governmental agency „Emerkom“will resume its activities. According to the plan, dangerous projectiles should be removed from 55 acres of the land, which is situated in the vicinity of the former military storehouse near Paracin. Petar Mihajlovic, Director of the De-mining Center, says that the above-mentioned project was funded by the Russian Government.

The second de-mining activity will take place on Kopaonik Mt, while the removal of the leftover cluster bombs will be completed thanks to the donation of the US Government, which was received through the International Trust Fund for De-mining and Mine Victims Assistance.  

The De-mining Center’s agenda includes the removal of live ammunition from South Serbia, too. The Oslo-based government, through the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approved 27, 6 million crowns (around 3, 5 million euros) for removing the leftover cluster bombs in the municipalities of Bujanovac, Presevo and Kursumlija. The job of removing live ammunition from 430 acres of land in these three municipalities will be completed in 2011 and 2012.

„The field work will be done by the Norwegian People’s Aid and Serbian experts.  The Serbian De-mining Center will be in charge of managing and over-seeing the projects. An MoU, which is to be signed by and between the Norwegian People’s Aid, the De-mining Center and the Coordination Body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, is being drafted, “Mr. Mihajlovic said.