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Greece + 11 more

Europe’s Refugee Emergency Response - Update #5, 2 – 8 October 2015

Attachments

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The average number of arrivals to Greece reached over 400,000 since the beginning of this year. The overall number on the islands remained high at 13,272 by 7 October due to the limited number of departures and slower registration, leading to a backlog. On 6 October, authorities started conducting registration of Syrians refugees at the First Reception Centre, in Moria, which will be the official hotspot on Lesvos.

  • In the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia due to increased arrivals and overcrowded and irregular trains, buses and taxis started to be used again. Registration procedures require further improvement and UNHCR has proposed standard operating procedures to the Ministry of Interior. Additional equipment was provided by UNHCR to increase the overall efficiency of registration.

  • In Serbia, the comprehensive registration process led to heavy overcrowding and long queues inside and outside the Presevo One Stop Centre. As a result, an average of 1,000 refugees and migrants have had to stay overnight at the Centre and some 2,000 were sleeping outside between 2 and 4 October. UNHCR and partners were present and supported the Serbian authorities in its response. By 6 October, the backlog was cleared and, as a result, a record 6,128 asylum-seekers were registered on 7 October.

  • Arrivals at Bapska, Croatia, continued smoothly and people were transported to the Opatovac Transit Centre without further delays. The Croatian Minister of Interior has agreed with his Hungarian counterpart to close the Terenzino Polje (Barcs) border crossing, while Botovo (Zakany) and Barankjsko Pretovo Selo (Beremend) will remain open. The prioritization of train transports makes the Botovo (Zakany) border crossing the one used in practice.

  • No new arrivals to Slovenia have been reported since 21 September. The authorities continue the preparations in anticipation of a possible new influx, UNHCR has made the necessary arrangements for the deployment of additional staff and for the delivery of non-food items.

  • The Hungarian authorities report that some 39,516 persons have arrived during the reporting period, including 39,155 through the border with Croatia and some 292 through Serbia. While 7 persons entered the transit zones during the reporting period, the actual number of persons approaching the border crossing points was higher.

  • On 8 October, EU Ministers of Home Affairs discussed the swift implementation of relocation and hotspots. The first hotspot has been established in Lampedusa and the first relocation will take place from Italy and to Sweden on 9 October and will be reported in the next update.