Daily Report
Arrivals and Departures
In Croatia, the Ministry of Interior informed that compared to the first quarter of 2015, the number of irregular entries into Croatia has not increased. So far, a small number of irregular entries have been recorded, largely individuals attempting to cross from Serbia to Croatia or Croatia to Slovenia. Only few movements, mainly by Albanian and Bosnian nationals, have been recorded at Glina River, bordered with Bosnia and Herzegovina.Around 800 asylum-seekers and migrants were reported to have arrived in Hungary last week. Police reported 572 individuals were apprehended after irregular entry while UNHCR observed 265 people who approached the transit zones in Roszke and Tompa. With the limited daily admission capacity (30 per zone per day) at these locations, around 200 people are waiting outside the fence without shelter, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and are exposed to protection and health risks. UNHCR is present daily in the transit zones to monitor the admission process, coordinate with UNHCR Serbia to identify people with specific needs, as well as advocate for appropriate support and accelerated entry. On the Hungarian side of the border, access to the transit zones remains limited for other organizations.
Condition of People
Remaining hopeful and determined to continue their journey, 100 people located at Eidomeni approached the barbed wire fence at the border between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. However, they were denied further access to the territory by police. According to media, in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, approximately 800 people have attempted to cross the border in the past two days alone.
On the island of Leros, tension and protests occurred during the last days at the hotspot/registration and identification centre. Demonstration began on Wednesday, 3 May, and continued in the following days, when detained refugees and migrants protested against general living conditions. In addition, members of the local community gathered outside the centre to express their anger to the Mayor. Authorities guaranteed improvement regarding food provision, and announced that those detained for 25 days will then be able to move freely on the island.
Critical Developments
For the past couple of months, refugees and migrants located at Eidomeni, the border crossing site between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, have blocked off the railway line as a form of protest against the border closure. Authorities have made several efforts to decongest the area by transferring people to more adequate accommodation facilities however, as of 6 May, an estimated 10,000 people remain at the site. The situation has become pressing late last week, when a letter to the Greek Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation transmitted by the “Entrepreneurs Association of Thessaloniki” highlighted that the economic impact of the railway long-term blockade is dramatic impacts for hundreds of companies in Greece. The authorities announced that a timeframe has been set to transfer all those present at Eidomeni by 15 June, however, not as a firm deadline. UNHCR continues to support the Ministry of Migration by informing refugees and migrants on the steps related to their transfer to new facilities through individual and group counselling.