EU, EIB loaning Ukraine 52 million euros to support rollout of 112 emergency service in country

MOSCOW. Oct 25 (Interfax) - The European Union is providing the grants totaling 12 million euros and the European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a loan totaling 40 million euros to Ukraine via the EU for Ukraine Fund to support the rollout of the 112 emergency service in Ukraine.

EIB Group President Nadia Calvino and European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni signed relevant documents in the presence of Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Washington, Ukrainian media outlets said with a reference to the EIB's website.

The project will unite Ukraine's ambulance, police, firefighting and emergency gas services under a single emergency response system designed to provide faster and more efficient assistance, the website said. The initiative includes building state-of-the-art call centers and the IT infrastructure, bringing Ukraine's emergency services in line with the European standards.

The EU will provide two grants, an investment grant worth ten million euros and a technical assistance grant worth two million euros, the website said.

According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, three communication centers of the 112 service are currently operating in Ukraine. "Next in line is the establishment of the 112 center in Odessa, and then the 112 emergency number will be accessible all over the country," Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko said on Friday.