Introduction
Following the successive implementation of new border restrictions by Croatia, Serbia and the Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in the latter half of February, the migration* flow to the EU through the Western Balkans corridor has been officially closed since 20 March, when the EU-Turkey Plan came into force.
As a direct result of these changes, migration through the Western Balkans corridor has decreased significantly, although smaller numbers of people have continued to travel by irregular means. At the time of writing, a total of over 57,812 stranded migrants had been recorded along the migration route in Greece, FYROM, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Hungary, unable to continue their journey towards Western Europe and unsure of the legal pathways available to them.
At the same time, migrants’ vulnerabilities and intentions have changed due to the increasing length of their stay, requiring a shift in the response by both governments and aid actors.
This situation overview focuses on those stranded in the Western Balkans as of the end of March, examining their current vulnerabilities and intentions as well as the changing profile of new arrivals in the past months. Based on data collected in Serbia, FYROM and the primary countries of origin (Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan) in March 2016, this report compares the different migration experiences of people of each nationality, including discussion of the factors that affect their decision to leave their place of origin, the role of humanitarian assistance, and their intentions in reaction to the evolving border restrictions within Europe