Norway to provide 7.4 mln USD for refugee support efforts in Serbia, Macedonia

Norway will provide 60 million Norwegian kroner (7.4 million U.S. dollars) to help the refugee support efforts in Serbia and Macedonia, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday .

Norway "is now providing 30 million kroner to strengthen the reception system in Serbia before winter sets in. We are also providing 30 million kroner for humanitarian assistance in Serbia and Macedonia," Foreign Minister Borge Brende was quoted as saying in a ministry statement.

The refugee situation in Serbia, and in Europe as a whole, was at the top of the agenda when Brende visited the Balkan country last week, according to the statement.

Serbia and Macedonia have become buffer countries between Schengen Area countries Greece and Hungary. Most of the refugees who were now travelling through Serbia along the Balkan route were hoping to pass through Hungary to Germany.

As Hungary has introduced stricter measures at the Serbian border, it is expected that the situation in Serbia will become considerably more difficult in the time ahead.

"I would like to commend Serbia for its huge effort, and for the generosity that the authorities, civil society organisations and individuals have shown towards the large numbers of refugees, even though the country's economic situation is already difficult," Brende said.

Norway's humanitarian assistance will be channelled through the United Nations, the Red Cross and other NGOs that are assisting refugees who have recently arrived in the Balkans, according to the statement. Endit