The number of refugees and migrants in Serbia continued to decrease throughout August 2017. UNHCR estimates that there were around 4,200 of them at the end of the month. 3,915 individuals, or 93% of the total number of refugees and migrants, resided in the five asylum centres (Krnjača, Banja Koviljača, Bogovađa, Sjenica, Tutin) and 13 reception centres (Subotica, Sombor, Kikinda, Adaševci, Principovac, Obrenovac, Pirot, Divljana, Dimitrovgrad, Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Vranje, Preševo) in Serbia. The majority of refugees and migrants resided in the reception centres in Obrenovac, Preševo i Adaševci as well as in the Krnjača Asylum Centre, while the least resided in the Tutin Asylum Centre and in reception centres in Bosilegrad, Dimitrovgrad and Bujanovac.

Accodring to the information that UNHCR Office in Belgrade has at its disposal, 82% of all migrants and refugees residing in Serbia at the end of August are from refugee generating countries, primarily Afghanistan (66%), followed by Iraq (11%), and Syria (5%). The number of children among refugees and migrants is still high (43%) as was the case in previous months. Special attention was given to them in August in the aim of integrating them into the formal educational system. With the support of UNICEF and UNHCR aworking group consisting of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Regional School Administrations and the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration began implementing accelerated elementary and high school preparations for children residing in asylum and reception centres. At the same time, NGOs organised educational activities with the aim of preparing children for formal education.

During August, 282 individuals expressed the intent to seek asylum in Serbia, and the majority of them were from Pakistan (85), Afghanistan (84), Iraq (40), and Syria (18). Individuals from Iran, Bangladesh, India, Algеria, Palestine, Morocco, Lybia, Somalia, Bulgaria, Greece, Jordan, Turkey and Ukraine also expressed the intent to seek asylum. In accordance with article 24 of the Law on Asylum, six asylum seekers were registered in August, at which time their identities were determined, while they were also photographed and had their fingerprints taken. Six asylum applications were submitted,while the Asylum Office conducted 14 hearings in the asylum procedure.

In regard to first instance decisions in the asylum procedure, the Asylum Office reached one positive decision in August, and awarded asylum to an asylum seeker from Syria. On the other hand, nine negative decisions were reached, as two applications were dismissed and seven rejected. Eight procedures of 18 asylum seekers were discontinued.

Photo: Eric Lafforgue