MIGRANTS STILL USE THE "BALKAN ROUTE"

11. July 2016.

Presevo - On the occasion of the first anniversary of the opening of the Reception Centre in Presevo, the working group for solving the issue of mixed migration flows held a meeting at that place last weekend. The meeting was attended by Ministers Aleksandar Vulin, Nebojsa Stefanovic and Zlatibor Loncar.

Following the meeting, the Ministers presented the data on the number of migrants that had passed through Serbia, although the borders of the neighboring countries had been closed since March.

"A year ago, we had to convince Europe that the" Balkan Route" existed, because there was a belief that the migrant flows were associated with the sea. Over the year, more than 600,000 migrants passed through our country. This means that the western "Balkan Route" still exists and that it is increasingly more difficult for people to reach the EU countries, "said Minister Aleksandar Vulin.

He underscored that Serbia wouldn’t let itself become a place where migrants would amass because all other countries had closed their borders.

Speaking of the migration flows, Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic drew attention to the increase in human trafficking and announced a "decisive battle" against traffickers in human beings.

“In 2015, 1,015 criminal charges were filed against traffickers in human beings, as well as 241 of them this year. The mass closure of borders in Europe made human trafficking become a more lucrative business. Traffickers in human beings charge migrants from 1,000 to 9,000 euros per person and we shall make every possible effort to fight against it, "said Minister Stefanovic.

Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said that the migrants had been treated in a dignified manner and that they had received good medical care at all reception centers in the country, as well as that the Government of the Republic of Serbia had earmarked 95 million dinars for their medications in the previous year.

There are currently only 13 migrants from Syria and Afghanistan staying at the Reception Centre in Presevo.

Source: “Danas” daily, “Politika” daily, South News and Coordination Body