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Assistance from the international community

Assistance in mitigating the most severe floods since the beginning of August is being provided to Slovenian members of the Civil Protection and the Slovenian Armed Forces by other countries as well. On August 6, 2023, through the EU mechanism in the field of civil protection (Emergency Response Coordination Centre - ERCC), Slovenia asked for help in mechanization for removing debris and ensuring road transportability. Additionally, it sought help for disaster relief through the NATO mechanism for responding to natural and other disasters (Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre - EADRCC).

In recovery from the devastating August floods, Slovenia also received assistance from other countries. On 6 August 2023, we requested assistance from the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) under the EU mechanism, and from the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) under NATO. Several countries provided assistance to Slovenia on a military-to-military and bilateral bases.

Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, assistance to Slovenia was provided by 11 countries – Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, while Spain responded through the NATO mechanism. Ukraine (with the support of ERCC) and Hungary provided assistance at a bilateral level, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Israel, the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina provided military-to-military assistance.

Eight countries (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Ukraine) contributed heavy construction equipment with a total of 30 excavators. Their units were quartered at Rečica ob Savinji, as they worked in the Upper Savinja Valley area cleaning watercourses, removing debris and more. The French unit was also engaged in the area of Prevalje, while the Italian unit was deployed in the area of Škofja Loka and Polhov Gradec. Through the EU mechanism, a total of 14 bridges were provided by six countries - Croatia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and Sweden.

Austria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Spain and Austria provided helicopter assistance. Material assistance was provided by Hungary, as well as by Slovakia providing dehumidifiers. Representatives of the Slovenian Order of Malta donated material assistance of the Hungarian Order of Malta in the area of the municipality of Kamnik. On 18 September 2023, Slovenia closed its requests for bridges and dehumidifiers. 

On October 1st, the third Italian bridge was delivered to Črna na Koroškem. The Italian Civil Protection Unit was building the bridge at end of October, and it was opened on October 30. The Italian unit then left Slovenia, and thus the international activities related to the August floods were completed. By the end of November, the third Swedish bridge will be built in cooperation with the Slovenian Army, namely in Črna na Koroškem. 

Between 6 August and 2 October 2023, Slovenia received help by a total of 729 members of the international disaster response force. 

Slovenia also received financial help, namely Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Cyprus and Armenia each donated 50,000 euros, Thailand 10,407 euros, Colombia 75,966 euros and Azerbaijan 92,896 euros. 

Received assistance by countries

Countries That Provided Aid Type of Aid Receiving of Aid Aid Utilization
Austria (bilateral) Aid of two manned helicopters CH-47 and support staff 9. till 12. 8. 2023 Slovenia
Austria (through the EU mechanism) Assist of the heavy machinery unit (two excavators and two additional vehicles) 9. till 24. 8. 2023 Solčava region
Bosnia and Herzegovina (through the EU mechanism) Assist of six excavators and 20 additional vehicles with teams 11. till 26. 8. 2023 the first team (from BiH Federation), 12. till 31. 8. 2023 the second team (from Srbska Republic) Upper Savinjska Valley
Croatia (bilateral) Aid of one manned helicopter 7. and 8. 8.2023 Help in damming and strengthening the embankments on the Mura River, later on standby
Croatia (through the EU mechanism) Assist of the heavy machinery unit (four excavators and 12 additional vehicles) 8. till 29. 8. 2023 Upper Savinjska Valley
Croatia (through the EU mechanism) One prefabricated bridge and construction unit 10. 8. 2023 view the location, installation of the bridge starts on 4. 9. 2023, opening of the bridge on 7. 9. 2023 Lačja village in Nazarje Municipality
Czech Republic (through the EU mechanism) Three prefabricated bridges 15. 8. 2023 view the location, 5. 9. installation of the first bridge, opening on 11. 9. 2023; opening of the second bridge on 13. 9. 2023 and the third bridge on 20. 9. Črna na Koroškem, Mežica and Ljubno
France (through the EU mechanism) Assist of the heavy machinery unit (two excavators and six additional vehicles) 8. till 21. 8. 2023 the first team, 21. 8. till 5. 9. 2023 the second team Area of Rečica ob Savinji and Solčava Near Meža River
Germany (through the EU mechanism) Aid from the members of the civil defence forces to assist in the relief of severe floods with two excavators and 16 additional vehicles 7. till 9. 8. 2023 (3 teams)
departure 19. 8. 2023
In the region of Savinjska Valley: nearby Rečica ob Savinji, Solčava and Luče
Germany (through the EU mechanism) Two prefabricated bridges 7. 8. 2023 view the location,
11. - 14. 8. 2023 installation of the first bridge,
15. - 18. 8. 2023 installation of the second bridge
Prevalje
Germany (through the EU mechanism) Aid of two manned helicopters CH-53 9. till 17. 8. 2023 Slovenia
Hungary (bilateral) Aid of one manned helicopter 7. and 8. 8.2023 Help in damming and strengthening the embankments on the Mura River, later available on request
Hungary (bilateral) Lamps, mattresses, blankets, pillows, covers, boots, sandbags, anti-flood films 12. and 13. 8. 2023 DLC Roje
Israel 10 water purification pumps From 12. 10. 2023 Slovenija
Italy (through the EU mechanism) Assist of five excavators and 15 additional vehicles 11. till 19. 8. 2023 the first team, 12. till 26. 8. 2023 the second team Area of Škofja Loka
Italy (through the EU mechanism) Three prefabricated bridges and installation team 10. 8., 16. 8. - reconnaissance unit, 28. 8. - reconnaissance engineering unit, start of work for the first two bridges on 1. 9. 2023, opening of the first bridge on 4. 9., installation of the second bridge will start after prepartion works, the third bridge is expected to be open on 30. 10. 2023 Dobrova - Polhov Gradec, Gornji Grad;
Črna na Koroškem
North Macedonia (bilateral) Assistance of the soldier units Črna na Koroškem in Mežica
Poland (through the EU mechanism) Two prefabricated bridges and installation team 10. 8. 2023 view the location, 23. 8. 2023 installation of the bridges, 31. 8. 2023 opening of the first bridge and on 13. 9. 2023 opening of the second bridge; end of the mission on 18. 9. 2023 Gornji Grad and Mežica
Slovak Republic (through the EU mechanism) Assist of four excavators with teams 11. 8. 2023 team with excavators, 28. 8. 2023 team with 4 extra trucks, till 14. 9. 2023 Area of Rečica ob Savinji and Solčava
Slovak Republic (through the EU mechanism) 20 dehumidifiers 14. 8. 2023 offered and accepted; arrived on 12. 9. Slovenia
Serbia (bilateral) Aid with two helicopters and with fuel and water tanks 10. till 18. 8. 2023 Slovenia
Spain (through the NATO mechanism) Aid of one manned heavy helicopter 8. till 17. 8. 2023 Slovenia
Sweden Three prefabricated bridges 2 bridges delivered on 28. 9., the third bridge on 2. 10.; the first bridge was erected on 13. 10., the construction of the second bridge began on 25. 10. and was completed on 27. 10.; the third bridge will probably be erected by the end of November 2023 (when the preparatory construction works will be completed); The Slovenian army participates in the construction of bridges 2 bridges in Solčava, 1 bridge in Črna na Koroškem
Ukraine (bilateral) Assist of five excavators and 14 additional vehicles with teams 11. till 28. 8. 2023 Upper Savinjska Valley
United States of America (bilateral) Assist of the engineering reconnaissance

Remark: Data as of October 27, 2023.

The following countries have also offered assistance

Countries That Offered Aid Type of Aid
Montenegro (bilateral) Assistance of the soldier units
United States of America (bilateral) Assistance at the long term recovery
Israel (bilateral) Assistance of the soldier units

Remark: Data as of October 27, 2023.