HIGHLIGHTS AND STATISTICS
Around 4,700 new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants remain in Serbia, of which 84% were accommodated in governmental facilities, including 1,415 in the five Asylum Centres and 2,571 in Refugee Aid Points/Reception Centre. The rest were counted at the border with Hungary and in Belgrade city.
As a result of efforts by authorities, UNHCR and partners encouraging asylum-seekers to move into government facilities, the number of asylum seekers camping in the open on Serbian soil to be admitted into Hungarian “transit zones” continued to drop.
Hungary admitted 119 asylum seekers in the last four days, while UNHCR and partners collected testimonies from 87 who reported having been pushed back into Serbia without being allowed access to procedures/protection in Hungary.
205 persons expressed their intent to seek asylum in Serbia, bringing the total for the whole year to 8,275. Jan-Aug 2016, the Asylum Office of the border-guards issued 66 first instance decisions, which granted subsidiary protection to 16 applicants and refugee status to 11, while rejecting 39, compared to 27 decisions Jan-Aug 2015.
SOUTH
New arrivals from fYRo Macedonia, Bulgaria and other reception facilities continued to be referred to the Reception Centre (RC) in Presevo, whose occupancy thus increased to some 680 refugees and migrants. Over half of them come from Afghanistan, followed by Iraq, Syria and Pakistan.
The authorities, UNHCR and all other organizations active in the RC, assisted with food and non-food items, medical services, counselling, interpretation, referrals and recreational activities.
BELGRADE
In continued fair weather, around 500 refugees, asylum seekers and migrants were encountered and assisted in the city centre during the day. They were encouraged to move to the Asylum Centre of Krnjaca, which sheltered close to 800 persons overnight, including around 200 sans papiers.
Various Civil Society Organisations provided assistance, counselling and facilitated many referrals, including to asylum procedures, registration with the police, accommodation in the Asylum Centre and medical services. Unaccompanied minors and separated children were referred to the Centre for Social Work. UNHCR/DRC and MDM doctors treated over 115 refugee/migrant patients every day.
NORTH
The number of asylum seekers camping in the open on Serbian soil close to the two Hungarian “transit zones” of Horgos I and Kelebija dropped to below 230 (from a peak of 1,011 on 14 July). 62% were women and children from Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria. The SCRM sheltered another 280 asylum-seekers, mainly single men from Pakistan or Afghanistan, in the Refugee Aid Point (RAP) of Subotica.
The SCRM, UNHCR, and other organizations present in the North provided humanitarian aid, including bottled water, food, fresh fruits, non-food aid, hygiene packages, support to maintenance of the sanitary conditions, medical assistance, referrals, as well as legal and other counselling.
WEST
The Refugee Aid Points in Sid, Adasevci and Principovac sheltered 1,600 refugees and migrants. Most had been referred by the SCRM from other locations, mainly Horgos and Subotica. On 04 September, 420 refugees/migrants (mainly from Afghanistan or Pakistan) stayed in Sid RAP, 750 (mainly from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraqi) in Adasevci RAP, and 435 (most from Afghanistan) in Principovac RAP. Additionally, some 20-30 young men from Algeria and Pakistan, whom authorities had evicted from/refused to accommodate in the RAP, were staying outside the RAP or in public places in Sid town, causing concern amongst the local population.
Civil Society Organizations assisted with food, and non-food as well as medical aid, counselling, referrals, child support, and recreational activities.
Attempts to clandestinely enter Croatia hidden on trains/trucks as well as push-backs from Croatia continued being reported.