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UNHCR Serbia Update, 20 August - 2 September 2018

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Serbia
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UNHCR
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  • 3,682 new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants were counted in Serbia on 02 September (compared to 3,875 two weeks ago). 3,174 (i.e. 86%) were accommodated in 15 governmental centres (below chart refers), while over 500 were observed outside centres: 260 close to borders with Croatia or Hungary, 150 in Belgrade City, and up to 100 in Loznica close to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  • On 29 August, the remaining 30 residents of Divljana Reception Centre (RC) were relocated to Bosilegrad RC. Authorities then placed Divljana RC in a stand-by mode with the possibility to reactivate at short notice should the situation require. After the relocation of residents of Preševo and Dimitrovgrad RCs earlier in the month, Serbia now maintains 15 centres (five Asylum, four Reception and six Transit Centres) operational and occupied.

  • Hungarian authorities admitted only 13 asylum seekers from Serbia into their so-called “transit zones” (compared to 8 during the preceding two weeks). As such, Hungarian authorities decreased admissions to only 21 individuals altogether in both transit zones during the month of August, about half of previous monthly figures. At the same time, all cases that entered Hungary after 1 July 2018 - regardless of their vulnerability or the reasons for not seeking asylum in Serbia - received inadmissibility decisions to asylum procedures and protevction in Hungary, leading to increased returns to Serbia (16 returns observed by UNHCR and partners in August).

  • 1,066 newly arriving refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants were identified and assisted by UNHCR and partners, compared to 1,032 during the preceding fortnight. 73% entered Serbia irregularly from fYR Macedonia (up from 62% two weeks ago) and 16% from Bulgaria (down from 23%), while 8% arrived regularly by air (down from 9%). 78% were adult men, 4% adult women and 18% children (incl. 164 UASC). Most new arrivals originated from Pakistan (34%) or Afghanistan (26%), followed by Iran (12%) and Bangladesh (5%).

  • UNHCR and partners gathered reports of 499 collective expulsions: 277 from Croatia (up from 274 two weeks ago), followed by 147 from BiH (up from from 65), 49 from Hungary (up from 11) and 20 from Romania (same as in previous fortnight). More than 58% of these reports alleged denial of access to asylum procedures by authorities of these neighboring countries.

  • In August 2018, 856 foreigners registered intentions to seek asylum in Serbia. 62% were adult men, 5% adult women and 33% children. Most intentions were filed by citizens of Afghanistan (36%) and Pakistan (19%), followed by Iran (16%), Bangladesh (7%), Iraq (6%), or India (5%). No asylum-seeker was granted refugee or subsidiary protection status in August, leaving the number of positive decisions by the Asylum Office so far in 2018 at 23.

  • On 22 August, authorities gathered 44 refugees/migrants who had been sleeping rough in the Šid area and transported them to Adaševci Transit Centre (TC). Two rub halls in Adaševci TC and one in Principovac TC have been re-opened as emergency shelter for both new arrivals and asylum-seekers who have been collectively expelled from Croatia.

  • Implementing its action plan for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), UNHCR organized focus group discussions with residents of Banja Koviljača Asylum Centre on 30 August. At the same time the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), under the UNHCR project, organized two Health Awareness workshops for refugees/migrants/asylum-seekers accommodated in Krnjača and Adaševci and a Women Empowerment Workshop in Kikinda TC.