State of natural disaster declared in five cities, 11 municipalities

At today's session, the Serbian government adopted the Decision to declare a state of natural disaster in five cities and 11 municipalities, given that due to the long-term drought and lack of precipitation, extremely high temperatures and hurricane-force winds, a part of the territory of Serbia was hit by large fires in July 2025, causing enormous damage.

Government members also adopted the Decree on the establishment of a state programme for assistance and reconstruction of burnt and damaged family housing properties owned by citizens due to fires in July 2025, for which RSD 350 million was provided from the state budget at yesterday's government session.

At the session, the Serbian Emergency Response Team was re-elected, and it will include the relevant ministers, heads of state bodies, expert associates of the Ministry of the Interior, Serbian Armed Forces, Serbian Red Cross, the Mountain Rescue Service, directors of public enterprises in the fields of transport, forestry, water management, electricity management and heads of other bodies, special organisations and the organisations and institutions whose scope of activity includes protection and rescue.

The decisions were also made to give consent to the decision to establish cooperation between several cities and municipalities of Serbia and Republika Srpska and Serbia and Montenegro in several areas: the economy, science, cultural, artistic and historical heritage, education, sports, tourism, ecology, and other areas of common interest.

Cooperation will be established between Sombor and Trebinje, the Municipality of Varvarin and the Municipality of Modriča, the Municipality of Vrnjačka Banja and the Municipality of Herceg Novi, the City of Užice and the Municipality of Pljevlja.