EU chief visits flood-stricken region and pledges billions in swift aid

A damaged house after recent floods near Pisecna in the Czech Republic (Petr David Josek/AP)

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pledged billions of euros for flood recovery for Central European countries that suffered enormous damage to infrastructure and housing during the current flooding that has claimed 24 lives in the region.

Ms Von der Leyen paid a visit to a flood-damaged region in southeastern Poland and met the government heads of the affected countries — Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, centre, attends a meeting with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, left, and Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer, right, in Wroclaw, Poland, on Thursday (Krzysztof Zatycki/AP)

She said funds will be quickly available for repair from the EU’s solidarity fund.

But saying it would not be enough in the face of enormous destruction, she also pledged 10 billion euros from what is called the cohesion fund for most urgent repairs.

She said no contribution from the individual countries would be required for the money to be released and stressed that in the crisis situation swift action was required.