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North Macedonia

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Population movement Information DREF Operation n° MDRMK005 Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA)

Attachments

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

Since September 2014, the number of migrants that are transiting through the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has been constantly increasing.

According to various sources, hundreds of migrants are transiting now through Macedonia day by day. The migrants usually come from Greece, and they walk along the railway line Gevgelija Veles in the direction of Kumanovo and the neighbouring villages where they cross the Serbian border on their way to the countries of the European Union. They would usually cross the border on foot, or they might use public transport or bicycles, or they would illegally board some closed train wagons and continue their journey towards the northern border of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on their way to Serbia. As a result of recent intensified controls on the trains by the police, most migrants choose to make the trip on foot across the territory of the Republic of Macedonia. They walk along the highway M5 or along the railway in the direction Gevgelija – Demir Kapija - Veles- Skopje - Kumanovo, and on the road they frequently get confronted with criminal groups.