200 thousand Euros help for wide Zagreb area ended up in Srebrenica

The help of some 210 thousand Euros was collected by Turkey in the beginning of last year. It was meant to help the victims of floods that hit the area of Velika Gorica and Zapresic in 2010. Now it seems that it ended in Srebrenica as some last week speculations said. The information was confirmed by Goran Beus Richembergh, who is the MP of HNS party and the president of the Association of Croatian -Turkish Friendship. He came to the conclusion in the very unexpected and slightly embarrassing way.

Clothes, shoes and food

-Yesterday I met some businessmen from Turkey from the firm “Bright star” who told me about the help they collected and handed for the victims of flood last year and I had no idea what they were talking about. It was very embarrassing and my face turned all red – Beus Richembergh said.

According to him the Turkish people collected clothes, shoes and food. All the charity is registered with Red Cross and to avoid the paperwork the help was handed to the city of Zagreb. The event of giving the help was organized in March last year in the Mayor’s office. The city of Zagreb suggested forwarding the help to Red Crossfor further distribution.

When Beus heard the story, he asked about it in Red Cross of Velika Gorica but they had no idea where the help had gone.

He was only an intermediary

-I then called Red Cross Zagreb to ask about it and the president Ludvik Matic informed me that the help ended in Srebrenica. This is not right. 600 families were hit by a disaster in Posavina area and they were left without anything. They could use any help – says Richembergh.

When we called Ludvik Matic he excused himself saying that Red Cross Zagreb was only an intermediary.

-You should call Mr Tokic from the Mayor’s office. He was the one who organized everything. The formal event was organized in the Mayor’s office. This help was given to the association of Croatian citizens in Srebrenica. But, this help could not be used, if you know what I mean- Matic added.

Zdravko Tokic from the Mayor’s office was not available and he didn’t make a comment.