HIGHLIGHTS AND STATISTICS
The estimated refugee/migrant population in Serbia for the first time since February/March again rose above 2,000 to 2,200, half of which are sheltered in governmental facilities (below table refers). Unless reception, processing of asylum-claims and relocation in/by EU/Greece improves expediently, a continued increase of the needs and numbers of refugees in Serbia is to be anticipated.
Also the number of refugees/migrants in Belgrade rose above 1,000, with over 570 sheltered in the Asylum Centre (AC) of Krnjaca. During the monthly meeting of the Refugee Protection Working Group, Refugee Aid Miksaliste reported that over 600 now seek support at its facilities every day and requested urgent support from donors and partners to better manage/reduce and assist this influx of clients.
The number of asylum seekers, predominantly women and children from Afghanistan and Syria, near Subotica or Horgos in the North of Serbia rose to 910. Restrictive admissions of 30/day and hazardous waiting conditions outside the Hungarian “transit zones” instigated many, mainly male, asylum seekers to try to reenter the EU irregularly instead. UNHCR border monitoring teams also observed an additional 30-40 mainly male refugees/migrant daily arriving by public transport from Belgrade in Sombor, from where they quickly proceeded trying to irregularly cross into Hungary. The same monitors could, however, not confirm any migration-related facts to explain the temporary suspension of traffic at the Batina border-crossing between Serbia and Croatia, in the evening of 29 June.
During the reporting period, 174 persons expressed intent to seek asylum in Serbia, bringing the total in June to 1,176, and the year 2016 to 4,573 (statistics courtesy of the Ministry of Interior).
SOUTH
Up to 82 refugees/migrants, including 68 new arrivals from fYR Macedonia, were accommodated in the last three days at the Reception Centre (RC) in Presevo.
The Red Cross, UNICEF, Caritas, Indigo, BCM, ATINA, Grupa 484, Humedica, DRC, Care, MSF, REMAR, ADRA, Save the Children, SOS Children Villages, Philanthropy, Border Free and Youth for Refugees assisted them.
The UNHCR-supported Public Health and the Humedica clinic provided over 147 medical treatments. The UNICEF/DRC/CSW child friendly space/mother and baby corner hosted up to 35 children and 12 women daily.
EAST
In the east, Sigma Plus, BCHR, DRC and Indigo encountered/assisted 75, mainly Afghan, new arrivals from Bulgaria, including six women and 18 children.
BELGRADE
UNHCR and partners assisted over 510 refugees, asylum seekers and migrants daily in the city centre. Between 60 and 80 stayed at night in parks near the bus or train station while up to 577 were sheltered by the SCRM and assisted by Caritas in Krnjaca AC. Likely to decongest Krnjaca, authorities reportedly offered transport to some 70 refugees/migrants, who later complained that they were transported to the SCRM’s Refugee Aid Point (RAP) in Sid, near the Croatian border, instead to Subotica near the Hungarian border.
The Asylum Info Centre facilitated many referrals, including access to asylum procedures, accommodation to Krnjaca AC and medical services. UNHCR/DRC doctors treated 105 patients, while MSF, Refugee Aid Miksaliste and Divac Foundation assisted with food and other aid.
NORTH
On average, over 770 asylum seekers were present close to the Hungarian border every day. Around 470 asylum seekers, predominantly women and children, stayed for weeks in difficult conditions outside the “transit zones” at Kelebija and Horgos I border crossings.
Though the frequency of cleaning of chemical toilets outside the transit zones has increased it still does not appear sufficient to completely safeguard sanitation and prevent open defecation. While local authorities of Horgos assist in keeping the site clean, those of Subotica reportedly still fail in this responsibility, leading to a dangerous accumulation of waste at Kelebija.
UNHCR, HCIT, UNICEF, IOM, MDM, MSF and the Red Cross provided humanitarian assistance including water, food, non-food aid, medical assistance as well as legal and other counselling at outside the two Hungarian “transit zones”. World Vision and HELP contributed with fruits and food.
The SCRM sheltered up to 350 refugees/migrants, in the Refugee Aid Point (RAP) of Subotica.
Over 100 refugee/migrants were encountered on a daily basis in and around Subotica on their way to the border. HCIT as well as BCM, Divac Foundation and other agencies aided the most needy. 88 asylum seekers were admitted into Hungarian “transit zones”, i.e. up to 30 per day