Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Serbia received the humanitarian aid sent by Azerbaijan to help the people suffering from devastating floods.

The humanitarian aid was sent to Serbia by the country's Emergency Situations Ministry at the order of President Ilham Aliyev.

First lady of Serbia Dragica Nikolic, Deputy Premier, Public Administration and Local Self-Government Minister Kori Udovicki, Adviser to the President Jasmina Mitrovic Maric, deputies of Belgrade Mayor Irena Vujovic and Goran Vesic, staff members of the Azerbaijani Embassy, and others received the aid at a ceremony in Belgrade's airport.

Addressing the event, President Nikolic said the friendly people of Serbia will never forget this help.

"This help will symbolize the sincere relations between the two friendly peoples for years to come," Nikolic said.

Kori Udovicki, in turn, said Serbia received the exact equipment and items it needed from Azerbaijan, while Jasmina Mitrovic Maric said humanitarian aid was a sign of friendly relations and strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Serbia.

Speaking at a press-conference held afterwards, Serbian first lady praised Azerbaijan's humanitarian aid and thanked the Azerbaijani people and President Aliyev.

Azerbaijani President instructed the Emergency Situations Ministry to send humanitarian aid to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 19. The aid included 12 motor boats of various sizes, 260 tents, 300 camp beds, 1,500 blankets, 40 power generators, 20 water pumps, and so on.

State of emergency was declared in parts of Bosnia and Serbia after the heaviest rain and worst floods since 120 years ago.

Overflowing rivers burst into towns and villages, cutting off communities and landslides buried houses.

Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic called it the "greatest flooding disaster ever", adding that his government had appealed for help from the European Union, Russia, and neighboring countries.

More than twenty people have died and tens of thousands have lost everything they owned. Rescuers in Serbia say they have managed to evacuate around 4,000 people so far.