Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS AND STATISTICS
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The number of new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, encountered by UNHCR and partners in Serbia, remained around 5,700. Of those, 82 % (or 4,693) were accommodated in governmental facilities, including 1,685 in the five Asylum Centres and 3,008 in Refugee Aid Points /Reception Centre, while the others were counted at night in Belgrade City or the border with Hungary. UNHCR, authorities and partners maintained reinforced presence and support at all sites throughout the country.
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High occupancy in particular of the three Refugee Aid Points in the West remained, with close to 2,000 refugees and migrants accommodated there. Also, Belgrade City remained crowded, with over 700 people counted both at night and during the day.
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165 persons expressed their intention to seek asylum in Serbia over the reporting period, bringing the total for September to 940 and the whole year to 9,084.
SOUTH
The Presevo Reception Centre (RC) accommodated close to 700 refugees and migrants, most from Afghanistan (60%), Iraq (18%) or Syria (13%), and only 9% from other countries. About half are children.
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
An increased number of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants encountered and assisted in the city centre continued being observed, with over 700 present during the day but also a similar number staying in public spaces overnight. Most were from Afghanistan, followed by Pakistan and Iraq.
The authorities continued encouraging the sans papier to move to the Asylum Centre (AC) of Krnjaca, which on 02 October sheltered 1,011 persons overnight.
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 and separated children were referred to the Centre for Social Work. UNHCR/DRC and MDM doctors treated over 220 refugee/migrant patients over the last four days.
NORTH
The total number of asylum seekers in all locations in the North remained relatively stable, albeit higher than the week before with 450, and on 02 October around 680 were counted. Those included some 380 sheltered by the SCRM in the Refugee Aid Point (RAP) of Subotica and some 270 camping in the open on Serbian soil close to the two Hungarian “transit zones” of Horgos I and Kelebija. Among the asylum seekers at the border sites, two thirds were women and children from Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria and Subotica RAP residents remained mainly single men from Pakistan or Afghanistan, while some 131 were children.
The SCRM, UNHCR, and other organizations 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.
Hungary admitted 178 asylum seekers in the last three days, while UNHCR and partners encountered some 183 who reported to have been pushed-back into Serbia from Hungary after having tried to enter it irregularly.
WEST
The Refugee Aid Points in Sid, Adasevci and Principovac sheltered some 1,950 refugees and migrants on 02 October. Most were from Afghanistan, followed by Syria and Pakistan, with the rest from Iraq, Iran, Bangladesh, Morocco or Algeria.
Civil Society Organizations assisted with food, and non-food as well as medical aid, counselling, referrals, child support, and recreational activities.
Increasing reports of attempts to clandestinely enter Croatia continued, and some 90 instances were observed of people, mainly coming from Afghanistan, Iraq, Algeria and Morocco, claiming were pushed-back to Serbia after entering Croatia irregularly by foot.