The Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center ( sr, Руско-српски хуманитарни центар, Rusko-srpski humanitarni centar; russian: Российско-сербский гуманитарный центр; abbr. RSHC) is an intergovernmental

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

with the headquarters in

Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...

, Serbia. It is located near the

Niš Constantine the Great Airport Niš Constantine the Great Airport ( sr, Аеродром Константин Велики Ниш, Aerodrom Konstantin Veliki Niš) , located northwest of downtown Niš, in the suburbs of Medoševac and Popovac. It is the second-largest an ...

. The Center is operating in Serbia and neighboring countries. It is an affiliated member of the

International Civil Defence Organization The International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO) is an intergovernmental organization with the objective to contribute to the development by States of structures ensuring the protection and assistance of population and safeguarding property and ...

(ICDO). The Center is designed for fast regaining in case of

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...

natural disaster A natural disaster is "the negative impact following an actual occurrence of natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community". A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some econ ...

s and technological disasters. It is also in charge of the removal of residual

explosive device An explosive device is a device that relies on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide a violent release of energy. Applications of explosive devices include: *Building implosion (demolition) * Excavation *Explosive forming ...

s from the

NATO bombing of Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...

. Apart from these tasks, it also provides

humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance to people who need help. It is usually short-term help until the long-term help by the government and other institutions replaces it. Among the people in need are the homeless, refugees, and ...

to people affected by emergencies and training and skills development activities in the field of prevention and elimination of emergency situations.

History

Formation

The Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center was established on 25 April 2012, following the signing of the Cooperation Agreement between the

Government of the Russian Federation The Government of Russia exercises executive power in the Russia, Russian Federation. The members of the government are the Prime Minister of Russia, prime minister, the Deputy Chairman of the Government, deputy prime ministers, and the federa ...

and the Government of the Republic of Serbia, on the initiative by

Sergey Shoygu Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, ; tyv, Сергей Күжүгет оглу Шойгу, translit=Sergey Kyzhyget oglu Shoygu, . (russian: Сергей Кужугетович Шойгу; born 21 May 1955) is a Russian politician who has served as ...

. The signatories of the Agreement are:

Ivica Dačić Ivica Dačić ( sr-cyr, Ивица Дачић, ; born 1 January 1966) is a Serbian politician serving as first deputy prime minister of Serbia and minister of foreign affairs since 2022, roles which he previously served under governments of Mirk ...

, at the time

Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia The Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia ( sr, Потпредседник Владе Србије / Potpredsednik Vlade Srbije, literally translated as Vice President of the Government of Serbia), is the official Deputy of the Prime Minister of Serb ...

and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Serbia,

Vladimir Puchkov Vladimir Andreyevich Puchkov (russian: link=no, Владимир Андреевич Пучков; born January 1, 1959, in Novinka at Volgograd Oblast) is a Russian politician who served as Minister of Emergency Situations from May 2012 to May ...

, at the time Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations of Russia. On 25 April 2013, Dačić and Puchkov signed further conclusions about the area of activities that Center provides, with the expectations that the Center should begin to work in full capacity until the end of 2013.

2016–17 Western pressure

In 2017, Russian officials launched an initiative that the Center gets a diplomatic status, and its employees, but it came to disapproval by the Western countries. Dačić, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, stated that the initiative is being politicized. In June 2017,

Maria Zakharova Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova (russian: Мария Владимировна Захарова; born 24 December 1975) is the Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (Spokesw ...

, Director of the Information and Press Department of the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MFA Russia; russian: Министерство иностранных дел Российской Федерации, МИД РФ) is the central government institution charged with lea ...

called these "spying allegations" an absurd. Hoyt Brian Yee, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs responded that Center in this form is not a threat, but what it may become would be a serious issue. Director of the Center explained that with diplomatic status, the Center would have tax relief for payment of equipment and all other expenses. The

United States Ambassador to Serbia This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Serbia. Some parts of today's Serbia had been under the occupation of the Ottoman Empire (from 1459 until 1804) while other parts were occupied by Habsburg monarchy (1526–1804), Austrian Em ...

Kyle Randolph Scott Kyle Randolph Scott (born 1957) is a U.S. diplomat in the Senior Foreign Service and a former U.S. Ambassador to Serbia. Education Scott attended Arizona State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in German language and literature while als ...

strongly opposed this idea, saying that: "if diplomatic passports are given to the employees of the Center, inspection of their activities would not be possible". Thus way, he suggested that Russians would gain military presence in Serbia. In August 2017, in his visit to Serbia,

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

Ron Johnson Ronald Harold Johnson (born April 8, 1955) is an American accountant, businessman, and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Wisconsin, a seat he has held since 2011. A Republican, Johnson was first elected to the U.S. Se ...

urged Serbian Government not to give diplomatic status to the Center, as it may "impact Serbian economy and Western direct investments" in the future.

References

External links

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VK accountTelegram channelVisual tour
2012 establishments in Serbia Buildings and structures in Niš Disaster preparedness Humanitarian aid organizations Russia–Serbia relations Non-profit organizations based in Serbia {{Russia-org-stub