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(from left to right) Anne Calteux, representative of the European Commission in Luxembourg; François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Mobility and Public Works; Cyrille Horper, Project Manager of Voyages Emile Weber
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Donation of 8 buses to Ukraine
The request for the donation of school buses initially formulated at the informal meeting of transport ministers on 8 April 2022 was conveyed by Olena Zelensky, the first lady of Ukraine, as part of her international commitment to protect of Ukraine education and especially its request for assistance in the implementation of the “Ukrainian Education Plan”.
As a result of the Russo-Ukrainian war, many transports were mobilized and part of the fleet was transferred to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in particular to ensure the evacuation of civilians from war zones.
Ukraine has identified a total need for around 3,000 buses to ensure the school transport of thousands of school-age children, enabling them to lead a normal life and receive adequate education as much as possible in the precarious situation in which they live and to provide medical evacuations from combat zones.
The Ministry of Mobility and Public Works then appealed to the Luxembourg Federation of Bus and Coach Operators (FLEAA) to request a bus donation in support of Ukraine.
Voyages Emile Weber has answered the call and is supplying 8 coaches in perfect condition with a capacity of between 50 and 70 seats. Similarly, under the contracts for the management of public road transport services, these 8 buses have provided a good service to Luxembourg’s public transport users and will be predestined for a second long life on Ukrainian roads.
According to François Bausch: “Luxembourg strongly condemns the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. In addition to considerable efforts to provide military equipment and financial aid, in-kind donations can help accelerate the country’s reconstruction and reduce the harmful effects of war on an entire generation’s education. Thanks to our Voyages partner Emile Weber, we can deliver together 8 buses in excellent working order which will soon provide school transport in Ukraine. Our supply of these 8 buses offered through the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine will thus absorb the consequences of this useless war for the new generation and will be a useful contribution to the reconstruction of Ukraine..”
Anna Calteux adds: “The European Commission warmly welcomes this new gesture of solidarity from Luxembourg. Safe access to school is crucial, as it gives children a sense of normality and is essential for their well-being and future. An estimated 5.7 million school-age children in Ukraine have been affected by Russia’s unwarranted aggression, and thousands of schools and facilities have been damaged. Luxembourg’s contribution to this wave of solidarity will make a real difference to the lives of many Ukrainian children”.
For its part, the donation of these 8 buses is the result of numerous initiatives that Voyages Emile Weber has carried out since the beginning of the conflict at the end of February 2022. Specifically, 8 travel buses have been made available by the company to guarantee the transport of refugees to host families or emergency structures set up at that time – initiative of the company’s internal volunteer drivers:
“Our company has more than 1,800 employees from different countries, including Ukraine. These are the people who volunteered and originally offered their support to help others – people who were in The donation of these 8 buses it is therefore just one more step in our commitment and we are proud to support the people of Ukraine in the restoration of school transport”. underlines Cyrille Horper, Project Manager of Voyages Emile Weber.
Statement from the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works
