29.01.2017.
Ministers in visit to the reception centre for migrants in Obrenovac
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic, the Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic and the Minister for Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Aleksandar Vulin, as well as Hans Friedrich Schodder, the Head of UNHCR Office in Serbia, have visited today the temporary reception centre for migrants in Obrenovac.
During the visit to the place where they are accommodated, the ministers made sure that migrants, more than 550 of them in the reception centre, are content with the conditions, as well as with the fact that they are no longer in cold Belgrade streets, but their priority remains the continuation of the journey to some EU countries.
Minister Vulin confirmed that the capacities in the reception centre for migrants in Obrenovac are not filled, there is space for 750 people, and according to his assessment there are around 1,000 people in streets and shacks, mainly men from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“We are a very responsible state, we told our international partners that we would provide 6,000 proper beds at the territory of the Republic of Serbia, and we have done so. We are the only country on the migrant route which has literally stuck to its commitment, showing that it keeps the promise”, Vulin said and confirmed that there are around 7,000 migrants in our country, the half of them being minors without escort and the social workers and others take care of them.
Minister Djordjevic emphasized that the Ministry of Defence is indirectly involved in the process of solving the migrant crisis and expressed gratitude to the Serbian Government for understanding the needs of the Joint Military and Police Force.
“Please be sure that the Serbian Armed Forces are ready to respond to all challenges in the coming days. Currently, we are on the border with Macedonia, Bulgaria and Montenegro. The influx of migrants is rather smaller at the moment, probably due to weather conditions, but we are ready to prevent all people who wish to enter our country in an illegal manner”, Minister Djordjevic stressed and explained that since July 2016 up to this day there has been more than 20,000 attempts of illicit entering, and now there are about 100 of such acts daily. He explained that the Joint Force do their work well, which is proved by the fact that there are less human smugglers.
The Minister of Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic expressed contentment because during the visit he has heard from migrants that they are content with the relation of the Serbian police officers, who treat them with respect.
“Our task is to provide security to those people, just like to all citizens of the Republic of Serbia, who do not have to feel any pressure because Serbia is a serious and responsible state and it acts with solidarity”, Stefanovic emphasized and added that everyone is waiting the EU response, which has to be unique, followed by the same strategy, which guarantees successful and permanent solution of the migrant crisis.
Hans Friedrich Schodder, the Head of UNHCR Office in Serbia, thanked the Republic of Serbia for accommodating migrants in a proper facility, their contentment and freedom of movement, and it is very important that Europe takes a sympathetic attitude, because only in this way the problem can be solved and not at the level of countries on the migrant route, which are under great pressure.
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