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Serbia + 6 more

UNHCR Serbia Update, 27 - 30 October 2016

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HIGHLIGHTS AND STATISTICS

  • The number of new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, encountered by UNHCR and partners, remained stable at around 6,300. Over 4,600 (or 73%) of them were accommodated in 11 governmental facilities, including 1,765 in five Asylum Centres and 2,855 in “Transit” or Reception Centres. The others were counted at the border with Hungary and over 1,000 sleeping rough at night in Belgrade City centre.

  • On 28 October, marking the UN Week, the UN Country Team and the Government of Serbia invited for a special brief on the refugee and migration situation in Serbia at the 12th UNCT Partner’s briefing in Belgrade. UN agencies reaffirmed their commitment to strongly promote and support additional humanitarian, developmental, budgetary, coordination and political support to allow the Government of Serbia to implement its Response Plan as well as the commitments of the recently adopted New York Declaration. UNCT issued a Press Release on the event: http://rs.one.un.org/content/unct/serbia/en/home/presscenter/un-strengthens-its-support-to-serbia-hosting-refugees-and-migran.html

  • On 27 October, Ministry of Health chaired a Health Coordination meeting in Belgrade, fully dedicated to the issue of body lice infestation, now affecting almost all centres accommodating refugees/migrants. Noting that the situation was serious but not alarming, the Public Health Institute announced to be declaring an epidemic in all government centres shortly. While procurement and delivery of the necessary disinfectants by authorities is awaited, entry and exit control in centres will be strengthened, to curtail a further spread of the infestation.

  • With colder climate the situation in Belgrade city centre became more critical. 1,000 refugees/migrants spent every night in unsanitary and unheated derelict buildings of Belgrade city centre. National and local authorities continued to advise agencies to stop assisting refugees/migrants in the city centre and refer them to the Asylum Centre of Krnjaca instead, even though Krnjaca - already fully occupied - was unable to accept new residents. When Info Park closed its food distribution in Bristol Park, Miksaliste became overcrowded with up to 800 refugees/migrants queuing for food.

  • The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights issued its periodic report on access to asylum procedures and their quality in Serbia during July-September 2016: https://www.scribd.com/document/329087978/Right-to-asylum-in-the-Republic-of-Serbia-periodic-report-for-July-September-2016

  • According to statistics of the Ministry of Interior, 216 persons expressed intent to seek asylum in Serbia during the reporting period, bringing the total for the month to 1,243, and for the year to 10,316.

SOUTH

The total number of refugees and migrants in the South on 30 October was 868, accommodated in the two RCs: Presevo RC (674) and Bujanovac RC (194). Close to half of the Presevo RC population is from Afghanistan (47%), followed by 18% Pakistan and 13% from Iraq and 10 Syria each. In Bujanovac RC, some 65% of the population is from Afghanistan, 28% from Iraq and 6 % Syria.

UNHCR and many other organizations active in the Presevo Reception Centre (RC), assisted with food and non-food items, medical services, counselling, interpretation, referrals and recreational activities, as well as in the Bujanovac RC, which accommodates only families with children and unaccompanied and separated children. UNHCR, together with Centre for Social Work and Indigo, continued conducting Best Interest Assessments for the unaccompanied and separated children.

BELGRADE

Over 1,000 refugees and migrants continued sleeping rough in the centre of Belgrade City. The Asylum Centre (AC) of Krnjaca sheltered 1,084 on 30 October.

Several civil society organisations provided assistance, counselling and facilitated many referrals, including to asylum procedures, registration with the police, and medical services. UNHCR/DRC and MDM doctors treated over 120 refugee/migrant patients during the reporting period, and engaged in the campaign against the body lice.

NORTH

The total number of asylum seekers in the North counted on 30 October was around 480. This number included 146 people sheltered in Subotica Transit Centre, some 230 camping in the open on Serbian soil close to the two Hungarian “transit zones” of Horgos I and Kelebija. The latter comprised 41% from Afghanistan, 28% of asylum seekers from Syria, and 23% from Iraq, of which on average 37% were children, 45% adult men and 19% adult women.

The SCRM, UNHCR, and other organizations provided humanitarian aid, including 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.

Hungary admitted 121 asylum seekers during the reporting period, while UNHCR and partners encountered over 150 foreign nationals who reported to have been pushed-back/unlawfully expelled into Serbia, without having been granted access to asylum procedures in Hungary, having entered it irregularly.

WEST

Transit Centres in the West sheltered close to 1,900 refugees and migrants: some 500 in Sid TC, 920 in Adasevci TC and 420 in Principovac TC.

Civil society organizations assisted with food, and non-food as well as medical aid, counselling, referrals, child support, and recreational activities. UNHCR is planning the delivery of additional blankets, winter clothes and shoes.