(Hina) - The first job after the floods which have hit eastern Croatia is to help with the accommodation of the people who had to leave their homes while the houses are being cleaned up and made fit for use, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić said in Osijek on Friday.
The destruction of mosquitos in the flood-hit areas in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia is being arranged in cooperation with European Union bodies, she told reporters upon arriving at the State Protection and Rescue Centre in Županja.
Mosquitos are unpleasant, not just because there will be many, but also because in such conditions, because of the animal carcasses, they transmit disease, which requires immediate response, said Pusić.
Croatia will provide the planes and the EU will help in financing flights and spraying, she added.
The prevention of health risks is the absolute priority now and mosquitos are a big danger. We will combine European civil protection capacities and Croatian planes and deal with the problems on both banks of the Sava river, said European Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva.
Pusić said she expected the EU's humanitarian aid also in the accommodation of people.
Some are staying with friends, some are in gymnasiums, and until their houses are cleaned up and returned to a usable state, they will have to be accommodated somewhere. That's the help we need, she added.
Georgieva said a terrible tragedy had befallen the Slavonia region but that the mobilisation of the army, civil protection, the Red Cross and citizens in the fight against the floods had been incredible. She thanked Croatia for helping not only its citizens but also the flooded areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
Floods call for strong cooperation now and will call for strong cooperation in the future. Floods connect us and I would like to say on behalf of Europeans that from day one we provided everything the countries requested, such as helicopters and water pumps, she said.
Here in Croatia the only thing missing were satellite maps and we provided them. Everyone in Europe now feels like a Croat, like a Serb. We are all from the region, Georgieva added.
Two first stages in dealing with the floods in Croatia - saving lives and preventing the flood wave from spreading - have been done very well. Now the third, humanitarian stage is under way. Humanitarian activities in the field will last at least several weeks, including cleanup, water purification and fighting against the health risks, so that the people evacuated from the flooded areas can be supplied with food, water and medicines, she said.
Because of climate change, this part of the world is at a high risk of floods, forest fires and winter storms, which calls for investing in preparation and prevention, and these investments are a European priority, Georgieva said.