In April, according to the estimate of Praxis’ mobile team, the number of people staying outside of reception and asylum centres was 1000-1500. Most people stayed in the abandoned warehouses behind the Bus Station in Belgrade. A significant number of people also stayed in the tents erected in the parking lot near the Bus Station. Their number reached over 150 by the end of the month. Between 40 and 60 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) had the opportunity to sleep in the MSF tents, while up to 80 people slept in Miksalište. The overall number of refugees/migrants present in Belgrade every day varied depending of the number of newly arrived refugees/migrants, those who arrived in Belgrade from the Asylum Centre Krnjača, and those who returned to Belgrade after an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Croatian, Hungarian or Romanian border.
An important event in this reporting period took place on April 12th, when the European Commission published its first comprehensive framework for the protection of children in migration. The Communications envisage a set of principles and recommendations aimed at protecting migrant children, regardless of whether they are arriving with their families or unaccompanied:
1. Swift identification and protection upon arrival
2. Adequate reception conditions for children
3. Swift status determination and effective guardianship
4. Durable solutions and early integration measures
5. Addressing root causes and protecting children along migrant’s routes outside the EU
The integral text of the Communication from the Commission to European parliament and the Council – The protection of children in migration is available at this link.
Praxis continued its field work in April and provided a total of 445 newly arrived refugees and migrants (307 adults and 138 children) in Belgrade with relevant information, which is fewer than in the previous month. Out of the total number of newly arrived refugees and migrants, 202 persons or 45.4% of them were from Afghanistan. Four (4) newly arrived refugees and migrants were from Syria, which accounts for 0.9% of the total number. Thirty (30) refugees and migrants came from Iraq (6.7%), mainly families. 107 refugees and migrants (24%) were from Pakistan, mainly single men and UASC, like in the previous period. A total of 85 refugees and migrants (19.1%) arriver from Sri Lanka, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tunisia, Eritrea, India, Tajikistan and Ukraine.
For more information, see the related announcement here.
