Please note: The page below represents the archived content relating to the previous Government of Montenegro. Some of the information might be inaccurate or outdated.
Archive

EU donates EUR 3 million for purchase of 100 ventilators, ten digital x-rays and contingent of protective equipment for healthcare professionals

Published on: Apr 2, 2020 9:47 PM Author: PR Service
Podgorica, Montenegro (2 April 2020) -- The Delegation of the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed earlier today in Montenegro, contract worth EUR 3 million for the purchase of necessary medical equipment and personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals. The contract will be financed by EU funds, as part of Montenegro's support for the emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic, and the UNDP will carry out all activities in close cooperation with the relevant institutions. Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Ambassador Aivo Orav and Permanent Representative of the UNDP Daniela Gašparíková signed the contract, during an online conference. The contract was signed in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović, President of the National Coordination Body. 

In a time of interruption in production on the world markets and in transport routes, the partnership between the Government of Montenegro, the European Union and the UNDP will ensure overcoming these obstacles as soon as possible and providing the necessary missing equipment. The equipment consists of one hundred (100) ventilators, ten (10) digital x-rays and a contingent of personal protective equipment for medical professionals, namely masks, gloves, surgical caps, waterproof overalls and aprons, goggles and visors.

At the conference, on the occasion of the signing of the contract, Ambassador Aivo Orav, Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro thanked all citizens of Montenegro who showed solidarity, strength and courage in these difficult times. "I would like to remind you that the European Union has also provided an additional EUR 50 million of support to Montenegro to tackle the effects of the coronavirus - induced crisis. We will direct this assistance, together with the national competent institutions,  where it is most needed - to the health sector, the economy, to help entrepreneurs and those in social need and to other sectors affected with the crisis," Ambassador Aivo Orav stated. Ambassador Orav expressed his gratitude to Deputy Prime Minister Simović and the National Coordination Body, the Institute for Public Health, the Ministry of Health and all partners who work hard to protect all of us. He also thanked Permanent Representative Daniela Gašparíková and the UNDP team for their effective efforts to facilitate purchase of medical equipment and implement the EU financial support package, as soon as possible. 

Permanent Representative of the UNDP Daniela Gašparíková for Montenegro, said that the video conference was held to point to the need for consistent compliance with the measure of physical distance, by personal example. She pointed to the significance of cooperation of all partners: "In such changing, unpredictable times, partnership and solidarity are prerequisites for ensuring an effective response to a pandemic. I am proud that we have all shown the agility in this process and acted quickly. We are all in this together and we will fight together. The project we signed earlier today, will ensure that those in the front line of defence - health workers, who risk their lives to protect our health - are urgently protected." Gašparíková concluded that UNDP will continue to support Montenegro, in the area of socio-economic measures that will be necessary to recover and remedy the consequences, which a pandemic inevitably causes in different sectors.

Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović emphasised that "at the moment when Montenegro is facing the most difficult phase of the COVID - 19 epidemic, this assistance will not only be of great importance for the necessary equipment to our health system, but it shows that Montenegro is not alone and that its international partners and friends are standing by its side." Deputy Prime Minister Simović expressed special gratitude to "the European Union, which, in addition to this urgent donation, will also approve long-term funds, amounted to EUR 50 million, to recover the consequences of virus and accelerate the existing programs of support for the economic and social sectors and the labor market, amounted to EUR 18 million. We very much appreciate the support of the Delegation of the European Union and Ambassador Orav, in developing these support programs."

Deputy Prime Minister Simović also voiced his deep gratitude to the UNDP Office for the implementation of EU funds. It will be a significant support to our health system in the coming weeks. Finally, DPM Simović expressed his conviction that "the EU and the UN partners, like all other international partners, will support Montenegro in the challenges ahead, to remedy the consequences of this global crisis, and above all the socio-economic ones."

OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER 
DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 




Is this page useful?