European Commission Approves 22.5 Million Euros Aid For Chechnya

7 April 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The European Commission has announced a decision to allocate 22.5 million euros in humanitarian aid to support the victims of the conflict in Chechnya.
A commission statement today says more money will follow in the course of the year.

The initial recipients will include internally displaced people and vulnerable groups in southern and central Chechnya, as well as displaced people in Ingushetia and Dagestan.

The European Commission says the assistance will cover a variety of needs -- protection, food, water, sanitation, health, shelter, education, psychological and social support, and mine-risk education.

The commission says it believes nearly 200,000 people remain displaced within Chechnya, many of whom were forced to leave Ingushetia as their camps were closed there.

Outside Chechnya, 35,000 people are still displaced in Ingushetia and some 10,000 in Dagestan.

The programs will be implemented by international agencies operating in the region. (RFE/RL)