Serbia: UNHCR Serbia Update, 14-16 November 2016

Highlights and Statistics

• Around 6,300 new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants were encountered by UNHCR and partners. Over 5,000 (or 79%) of them were accommodated in 12 governmental facilities, including 1,958 in five Asylum Centres and 3,045 in “Transit” or Reception Centres. The others were counted at the border with Hungary or sleeping rough in Belgrade City centre.
  
• The protest march of some 50-60 refugees and migrants who had set out on foot from Belgrade to the Croatian border on 10 November, ended peacefully on 14 November. After being prevented by Serbian and Croatian authorities from crossing into Croatia at Sid/Tovarnik, they decided to return to Belgrade by train, refusing the SCRM offer for transport to government facilities.
  
• Meeting for coordination on 14 November in Belgrade, civil society organization and donors refuted misinformation that they encourage refugees/migrants to stay in the city centre but reiterated their commitment to support authorities in managing the situation in Belgrade including their offer to assist in facilitating an effective, well-informed, orderly and humane transfer of refugees/migrants to suitable government facilities.
  
• Efforts to treat and contain body-lice continued in all facilities. All new arrivals were screened and treated, while residents and facilities underwent consecutive disinfection rounds reducing levels of infestation: A third round of screening and disinfection was completed in Adasevci and Principovac Transit Centres (TC) in the West, and is ongoing in Sid TC. In Presevo Reception Centre (RC), Public Health Institute, SCRM and UNHCR coordinated steps for a second disinfection round which is scheduled to take place this week. Krnjaca Asylum Centre (AC) was reportedly declared body-lice free.
  
• Overcoming problems in accessing registration, 219 refugees/migrants registered intent to seek asylum, increasing the total for the month of November to 818, and for the year to 11,156.