Opening: EU must help fund Balkan flood relief effort, says President Schulz - Main contents

The collective solidarity that inspired cross-border rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of the May 2014 floods in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia must be matched by EU aid and funding, said President Schulz, opening the July II session.

Many lives were lost in the floods, which forced the evacuation of 150,000 people in Croatia and washed away an entire quarter of the Bulgarian city of Varna. Agriculture and the regional economy will take many years to recover, warned Mr Schulz.

Unstinting cross-border flood relief efforts by Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia, in a region haunted by bitter conflict among them in recent decades, must be matched by EU aid and funding, he insisted, noting that these efforts were complicated by leftover landmines.

Incoming MEPs

Lorenzo FONTANA (NI, IT) replaces Flavio TOSI (NI, IT), as of 9 July. The Italian authorities declared Mr Tosi’s post as an MEP incompatible with another he already holds.

Outgoing MEPs

Willy MEYER (GUE/NGL, ES), resigned his seat as of 9 July.

Agenda changes

Tuesday - statements by the Commission and Council on the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons in the Mediterranean sea was added at the request of the ECR group.

Wednesday - the debate on developments in Israel and Palestine will be wound up with a resolution, at the request of the GUE/NGL group.

REF. : 20140711IPR52255

Updated: ( 14-07-2014 - 19:06)