More than 4,000 seek asylum in Serbie

[Super Mentalita]

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society.php?yyyy=2014&mm=08&dd=18&nav_id=91327

BELGRADE -- Deputy Citizens' Ombudsman Miloš Janković says there have been more than 4,000 migrants seeking asylum in Serbia in the first half of this year alone.

He pointed out that they are mostly citizens of Asian and African countries, and that their ultimate goal is to reach western Europe.

"Western Europe is faced with a large influx of migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Egypt. The data we have shows that about 15,000 people last year crossed the territory of Serbia," said Janković.

According to him, many have announced their intention to seek asylum in Serbia and last year about 5,000 did so. This year that number will be much higher given that only in the first half of 2014, 4,257 migrants already "expressed that intention."

"We cannot doubt the reality of the will to seek asylum," Janković was quoted as saying. This official then added that most migrants confirmed they intended to seek asylum during a visit of the Ombudsman, and that they would do so "as an opportunity to stay in Serbia for a certain period of time."

"Many of them disappear after a while, which means that they went to western European countries," said Janković.

He warned "the system is not functioning as it should," as there are "many irregularities in the work of relevant bodies - and therefore the Ombudsman earlier this year sent 29 recommendations to the Ministry of the Interior and the Commissioner for Refugees."

"First of all, the biggest oversight is that the police, when they come across a person with no personal documents - a foreigner who is suspected of having illegally crossed the border, who has is no proof of the legality of residing in the territory of Serbia - do not bring that person to the police station, do not search them or determine their identity, do not photograph them or take their fingerprints, but mostly send them to a center for asylum seekers, and that is primarily in Bogovađa and Banja Koviljača," said Janković.

Asked whether "citizens' safety is endangered because persons without identity are walking around Serbia" Janković said that "actions of competent authorities have certain shortcomings that could have as an effect, and perhaps do, a threat to the security of all citizens of Serbia" - and that for this reason, the Ombudsman came out with "a systemic recommendation."

He pointed out that it was encouraging that the MUP recently initiated "a number of activities in order to eliminate the existing shortcomings in its work."

"It is encouraging that the Ministry of the Interior together with the Commissariat for Refugees began a number of activities to determine the real situation. The Ombudsman participates in the work of their special group. The next meeting will be on Thursday and is expected that after a diagnosis is given work will be done to solve the problem, and that will mean protecting fundamental rights of irregular migrants, as well as the issue of the safety of all of us," concluded Janković.