In early January, temperatures in Belgrade were dropping to as low as 15 degrees Celsius below zero. According to the estimates received from the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, at the beginning of the month about 2,000 people were sleeping rough in Belgrade, at parking lots and in abandoned warehouses (barracks) near the Belgrade Bus Station. 

About 500 refugees/migrants from the barracks behind the Belgrade Bus Station were relocated to Obrenovac, out of which about 200 UASC.  In the middle of the month, MSF erected 5 tents with beds and heating for temporary overnight stay for potential UASC as well as refugees and migrants with health issues. Accommodation capacity is still insufficient to satisfy all the needs identified in the field. Moreover, Hungary reduced the number of daily admissions to territory and asylum procedures from 20 to a total of 10 per working day (weekends excluded).

Praxis continued its field work in January and provided a total of 382 newly arrived refugees/migrants (259 adults and 123 children) in Belgrade with relevant information, which is a smaller number of new arrivals than in the previous period as a result of extremely harsh weather conditions.

For more information, see the related announcement here.

The humanitarian situation in Belgrade at the end of December 2016 was quite alarming, with nearly 2,000 persons sleeping rough in Belgrade at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius. Most of these people were sleeping in the barracks/warehouses behind the Belgrade Bus Station, in really poor conditions, without water, toilets, heating, in stuffy facilities as a result of lighting fire indoors to keep them warm, but Praxis staff counted approximately 150 on average daily sleeping outdoors, at parking lots, without any shelter. It is estimated that a third of these people are unaccompanied and separated children (UASC).

With the new arrivals, the capacities of almost all asylum and reception centres in Serbia are at full capacity or overburdened.

Praxis continued its field work in December and provided a total of 1,124 newly arrived refugees and migrants (656 adults and 468 children) in Belgrade with timely and adequate information and/or referrals, which is smaller number of arrivals than in the previous period as a result of harsh weather conditions and temperatures below zero degrees Celsius.

For more information, see the related announcement here.

At the beginning of February 2017, Praxis was visited by the representatives of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro and Centre for Roma Initiatives with an aim to exchange experience about the mechanism of prevention and elimination of child, early and forced marriages. 

The visit to Praxis was part of a  study visit to Belgrade, organized by the Centre for Roma Initiatives in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, as part of the project “Coordinated action to combat violence and child marriages in Roma and Egyptian Community”, which is implemented in cooperation with UNICEF in Montenegro and financial support of EU. This project is part of a many-year regional initiative aimed at improving the protection of children from violence and social inclusion of children with disabilities, which is implemented by UNICEF, European Disability Forum - EDF, EU, and the governments of seven countries in the process of EU accession. 

The goal of the study visit was to exchange knowledge and experience in relation to child, early and forced marriages with an aim to prepare “Guidelines for the treatment and processing of cases of forced marriages in Roma and Egyptian communities for the needs of police, social working centres, schools, courts and health centres” in Montenegro. 

Unlike the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, which expressed willingness to react to the occurrence of child, early and forced marriages, the lack of institutional will to responsibly deal with this problem is still evident in Serbia.

At the beginning of February 2017, Praxis was visited by the representatives of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro and the Centre for Roma Initiatives with an aim to exchange experience about the mechanism of prevention and elimination of child, early and forced marriages. 

The visit to Praxis was part of a study visit to Belgrade, organised by the Centre for Roma Initiatives in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, as part of the project “Coordinated action to combat violence and child marriages in Roma and Egyptian community”, implemented in cooperation with UNICEF in Montenegro and financially supported by the EU. This project is part of a multi-year regional initiative aimed at improving the protection of children from violence and social inclusion of children with disabilities, which is implemented by UNICEF, the European Disability Forum - EDF, the EU, and the governments of seven countries in the process of EU accession. 

The goal of the study visit was to exchange knowledge and experience in relation to child, early and forced marriages with an aim to prepare “Guidelines for the treatment and processing of cases of forced marriages in Roma and Egyptian communities for the needs of police, social working centres, schools, courts and health centres” in Montenegro. 

Unlike the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, which expressed readiness to respond to the occurrence of child, early and forced marriages, the lack of institutional will to responsibly deal with this problem is still evident in Serbia. 

At the beginning of November, the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs sent an Open Letter to international humanitarian and non-governmental organizations, stating that it was unacceptable that organizations provide food and NFI assistance in the centre or encourage migrants to reside outside designated asylum and reception centres, particularly on the territory of Belgrade. 

The humanitarian situation in Belgrade is more concerning than ever, with around 1,000 refugees and migrants sleeping rough in Belgrade central parks and barracks behind the Bus Station, several hundreds of them being unaccompanied minors, in extremely poor hygienic conditions, with almost no assistance provided. In addition, Hungary reduced the number of persons it admits to only 20 per day, weekends excluded. At the same time, the capacities of the asylum and reception centres in Serbia are almost full, including the capacities of AC Krnjaca which are overstretched. 

Praxis provided a total of 2,272 refugees and migrants (new arrivals) with timely and adequate information (1,345 adults and 927 children). 

For more information, see the related announcement here. 

The number of refugees and migrants present daily in the parks near the Belgrade Bus Station rose to nearly 1,300 persons in November, compared to around 600 in mid-September. Almost all asylum and reception centres are full, including AC Krnjaca, while there were around 1,000 refugees and migrants sleeping rough in Belgrade at the end of the reporting period, compared to around 300 in mid-September. Hygienic conditions in the old barracks, abandoned buildings and other facilities where refugees sleep are alarming, with increased number of scabies and body lice infestation. Furthermore, there is evident lack of winter NFIs in the field (jackets, shoes, blankets, etc), especially for men. 

Praxis continued protection monitoring in the field, provided information to refugees and migrants in Belgrade about available legal options and available services, identified vulnerable cases assisted them or referred them to other organizations for targeted assistance. Praxis also provided protection by presence and accompanied refugees to PS Savska for registration. Inconsistencies in registration continued, access to asylum is often hindered, protection of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) is still the most challenging, while refugees continue to report mistreatment by both the authorities and civilians along the route.

For more information, see the related announcement here.

Praxis started implementing the Project “Protection Monitoring and Assistance to Refugees and Asylum seekers in Belgrade”, funded by the Save the Children International in Serbia, on 15 August 2016.  We have been back in the field in Belgrade since 22 August 2016, providing information to refugees in Belgrade, protection by presence, identification of vulnerable cases and referrals to other agencies for targeted assistance. 

In the reporting period, Praxis provided a total of 2,396 refugees with timely and adequate information. Out of this number, 1284 persons, nearly 54% of all informed refugees, were from Afghanistan (701 adults and 583 children), with an increase of Afghan families arriving. A total of 299 beneficiaries we served (12.5%) were from Syria, 134 from Iraq (5.6%), 167 from Pakistan (nearly 7%), while 135 beneficiaries (5.6%) from other countries. Out of the total number of served beneficiaries, Praxis provided information to a total of 120 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), 84% of them being from Afghanistan. In the same period, Praxis identified 618 vulnerable refugees and referred them to other organizations for targeted assistance, mainly for food, NFIs, accommodation, transportation, medical assistance, registration, legal assistance, AVR, and followed up on the cases when possible.

For more information, see the related announcement here.

Several notable developments occurred in the refugee crisis in July contributing to deterioration in conditions in Belgrade and elsewhere. In Hungary, legal amendments that came into force on 5th July 2016, allow push-backs of asylum-seekers intercepted within 8 km of the Hungarian border, depriving them of the right to seek-asylum and be given international protection, contrary to the international law.

The Government of Serbia deployed joint military-police teams along the borders with FYROM and Bulgaria which the GoS announced as a measure to combat illegal entry of migrants into Serbian territory and to combat smuggling and trafficking. The former led to an increased number of push-backs from Hungary in comparison to June, while the latter brought about a significant increase in the reports of pushbacks from Serbia to Bulgaria and fYRoM compared to June. Furthermore, Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration (KIRS) started transporting refugees from Krnjaca Asylum Centre and Belgrade parks to other asylum centres or refugee aid points (RAPs), and opened the AC Bogovadja to asylum seekers. However, AC Krnjaca, Belgrade, returned to its previous policy of allowing entry only to those whose asylum seeker registration referred them to this specific AC, leaving the facility only fractionally occupied, and an average of over 500 persons sleeping rough in Belgrade city centre nightly. Waiting list system is established for legally entering Hungary in the transit zones Horgos and Kelebija at the Hungarian border for asylum seekers already in the transit zone or in RAPs elsewhere in Serbia.

In July, NRC-Praxis assisted 2,852 beneficiaries in total with protection services.

For more information, see the related announcement here.