HIGHLIGHTS AND STATISTICS
The number of new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, encountered by UNHCR and partners, remained stable at around 6,200. Over 4,790 (or 77%) of them were accommodated in 11 governmental facilities, including 1,824 in five Asylum Centres and 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 (including several hundred unaccompanied minors/separated children).
A meeting of the Refugee Protection Working Group gathered over 70 representatives of authorities, UN agencies, other agencies and NGOs and donors/diplomatic missions, to discuss i.a. the request of authorities that humanitarian agencies cease distributing food and non-food aid to refugees/migrants in Belgrade city centre as well as their announcement to plan relocation into better conditions in governmental centres. Several donors, UN agencies and NGOs indicated their readiness to work with authorities to support an orderly and humane relocation and the expansion and upgrading of conditions at suitable facilities to accommodate refugees/migrants from Belgrade city centre.
On 03 and 04 November, Hungarian authorities admitted to territory and asylum procedures at the “transit zones” near Kelebija and Horgos border crossings only 20 asylum seekers per day (compared to 30/per day previously), while there were no admissions over the weekend (05-06 November). Consequently, the number of total weekly admissions dropped to half of previous weeks.
In response to the cold weather, UNHCR partners distributed over 200 blankets, 400 pieces of footwear, 330 winter jackets and many other clothing items for women, men and children to refugees in Belgrade, North, West and South of Serbia.
During the reporting period, 220 refugees/migrants registered intent to seek asylum, increasing the total for the month of November 300, and for the year 10,638
SOUTH
In total, 896 refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants were accommodated in two Reception Centres: Presevo (700) and Bujanovac (196). The population of Presevo increased to this level, when receiving an additional 112 single men, whom authorities brought from the Transit Centre in Subotica. Close to 40% of the Presevo RC population is from Afghanistan, followed by 25% from Pakistan and 14% from Iraq, and 9% from Syria respectively. Around 65% of residents of Bujanovac RC, which accommodates only families and unaccompanied and separated children, are from Afghanistan, 28% from Iraq and 6% from Syria.
UNHCR and many other organizations assisted with food and non-food items, medical services, counselling, interpretation, referrals and recreational activities. UNHCR, together with Centre for Social Work and Indigo, continued conducting Best Interest Assessments for 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 1,118 on 06 November.
Several civil society organisations provided counselling and facilitated many referrals, including to accommodation in governmental centres, asylum procedures, registration with the police, child protection and medical services.
Medical and other agencies also took measures to treat body lice, scabies and other inflictions.
NORTH
The total number of asylum seekers in the North counted on 06 November was around 350. Of them, 148 were sheltered in the Transit Centre of Subotica, while some 200 camped in the open on Serbian soil close to the two Hungarian “transit zones” of Horgos I and Kelebija. The latter comprised 32% of asylum-seekers from Syria and 28% Afghanistan and Iraq each. 45% were adult men, 36% children and 19% adult women.
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.
During the reporting period, only 40 asylum-seekers were admitted into Hungarian procedures in the “transit zones”, while UNHCR and partners encountered over 70 foreign nationals who reported to have been pushedback/unlawfully expelled into Serbia, without having been granted access to asylum procedures in Hungary.
WEST
Transit Centres in the West sheltered over 1,920 refugees and migrants: with some 485 in Sid TC, 985 in Adasevci TC and 454 in Principovac TC.
Civil society organizations assisted the SCRM with food, and non-food as well as medical aid, counselling, referrals, child support, and recreational activities, and also took measures to treat and control the spread of body lice and scabies.
UNHCR and partners encountered three foreign nationals who reported to have been pushed-back/unlawfully expelled back into Serbia, without having been granted access to asylum procedures in Croatia.