Ursula von de Leyen announces the release of ten billion euros to help the country affected by floods. Half of it will be paid to Poland.
The European Union will release ten billion euros to help countries affected by the floods.
Ursula von der Leyen announced the measure during her trip to Wrocław, the city in western Poland which is itself coping with the flooding of the Oder River.
The President of the European Commission met with the leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Romania, the four main countries affected by Storm Boris.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: “Here we say that it is 100% European money, without co-financing. These are extraordinary times and extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. At first glance, it is possible to mobilise €10 billion from the cohesion funds for the affected countries. This is an emergency response now.”
The cohesion funds will be used for reconstruction.
In all four countries, the floods have left behind devastated landscapes.
In Poland, the storm completely destroyed villages, washed away bridges, cut roads and damaged railway lines.
Some localities are still cut off from the rest of the country and lack drinking water and electricity.