By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- The day that twin quakes struck 10 provinces in Turkiye, Sweden who holds the current EU presidency, pledged to spearhead a major effort for assistance to quake victims in Turkiye and Syria. Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said: “Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has taken the initiative to organize a donor conference in Brussels in March, hosted by the Swedish EU presidency and the European Commission.” Meanwhile, on Wednesday, in a joint press conference in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi and Swedish Minister for International Development, Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssel met the press to discuss concrete steps being taken to assist earthquake survivors. The three met for joint talks with Turkish officials to discuss a range of topics, primarily the earthquake situation and also Sweden and Finland’s NATO bids. Under discussion is the donor conference scheduled for March 16, whose purpose is to raise money to support earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria.. Sweden has pledged EUR 7.2 million toward recovery efforts for quake victims and Billstrom commented Monday: “Sweden wants to do whatever it can regarding the devastating earthquake.”
As Billstrom commented: “We expect high participation in this conference and hope to raise more funds for the people of Turkiye and Syria to do our best.” So far, 12 EU members have donated 50,000 winter-proof family tents, 100,000 blankets and 50,000 heaters immediately after the quakes. The EU bloc also sent rescue teams that included 1,651 rescue personnel along with 106 rescue dogs with a pledge to send additional tents, blankets and heaters to the 10 provinces hit by the quakes. The EU Commission mobilized 500 emergency shelters, 8,000 beds and 2,000 tents with EU President Ursula von der Leyen reassuring Turkiye and Syria that they can “count on the EU” for assistance. She said: “No country in the world was prepared to deal with the severity of the disaster that unfolded in southern Turkiye.” “We stand in solidarity with Turkiye and with the Syrian people. We are now focusing on supporting those affected by this tragedy,” Billstrom said. He added that there is close coordination with Turkish authorities and the UN.
