Through the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism, Slovakia responded to Italy's request for assistance by sending masks and anti-COVID-19 disinfectant, while Austria is sending the same equipment to Croatia, the European Commission announced, on Tuesday 21 April, as the shipments were in transit.
The European Commissioner for Civil Protection, Janez Lenarčič, immediately expressed his gratitude to these two EU Member States “for their gestures of European solidarity”.
Austria is also sending gloves, disinfectant and other products to Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Moldova, as well as blankets, mattresses and tents for migrants in Serbia.
It is the Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), which is active 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, that coordinates requests and offers of assistance. The flights are co-financed by the European Commission. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)