EP allocates 114 million euros to Czech Republic for flood relief following last year’s disasters.

Strasbourg – Today, the European Parliament approved a grant of 114 million euros (around 2.8 billion CZK) to the Czech Republic in response to last year’s floods. This funding is part of a larger flood assistance package totaling 280 million euros (6.9 billion CZK), which also supports Slovakia, Poland, Austria, Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The money from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) will be allocated for the repair of public infrastructure, including transportation, educational, and healthcare facilities, as well as for cleanup efforts and the protection of cultural heritage.

Polish MEP Andrzej Halicki, the rapporteur for the proposal from the European People’s Party (EPP), emphasized that natural disasters are becoming more common, and the EU needs to be equipped to provide swift and effective assistance. He highlighted that the aid approved today is a result of last year’s increase in the solidarity fund’s resources.

The Czech Ministry of Finance stated that the European funding for damage compensation is determined by the total assessed damage from the floods. “The Czech Republic has satisfied the criteria for major disasters, which permits a contribution of up to 2.85 billion crowns. Thus, the proposed allocation aligns with our expectations,” said ministry spokesperson Petra Vodstrčilová to ČTK in May.

According to the government, the total damage from the September floods, which chiefly impacted the Moravian-Silesian and Olomouc regions, amounted to 70.6 billion crowns. Of this total, around 25 billion crowns were damages to private properties of citizens and businesses, while approximately 45 billion crowns were damages to state, regional, and municipal properties.