Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
SPAIN’S government has received a first payment of €100 million from the EU’s Solidarity Fund to pay for recovery work in flood-hit areas of Valencia.
The sum is a far cry from the €4.4 billion that the country asked for, but evaluation of the bid will take ‘some months’ according to the European Commission.
The €100 million is the maximum amount that an EU member state can get as an ‘advance’ from the fund, pending a final decision.
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Raffaele fitto, vice-president for Cohesion and Reforms at the Commission, stated: “The flooding in Valencia caused devastation that resulted in the death of hundreds and destruction of houses and infrastructures.”
He said that his commitment to supporting the people and the region in the difficult period of recovery was unwavering.
The EU Solidarity Fund offers money to fix infrastructures after a natural catastrophe.
Countries get up to 12 weeks to make a claim and Spain did so in late January, asking for €4.4 billion.
After the application is analysed, the Council of Ministers will make a recommendation that must be approved by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
The Valencian government said earlier this month that the financial cost of the floods totalled €18 million.
