Source: APC
Photo: APC

 

Reception Center (RC) Principovac: The residents/beneficiaries of the center are asylum seekers who were initially accommodated in the Asylum Center in Sjenica, and later transferred to the Principovac Reception Center due to the closure of the Sjenica Asylum Center for renovation. APC has not received an official decision from the Commissariat for Refugees regarding this transfer, despite submitting a request, bearing in mind that a reception center cannot legally serve as an accommodation center for asylum seekers, while two other asylum centers in Serbia (Obrenovac and Vranje) are fully operational and have capacity to receive asylum seekers.

Food portions in the Principovac Reception Center are insufficient per meal, according to testimonies of the accommodated persons. The camp is extremely hot, and air conditioning exists only in the main room where asylum seekers eat and where the phone charging outlets are located — not in the sleeping areas. Resident N. E. stated that when someone from the Commissariat travels to Šid for work, they take a few residents with them, and the remaining residents give money to those going so they can buy water and groceries. These trips occur only once or twice a week, and residents have no other way to obtain necessities except by walking along the border line with Croatia, more than 6 km, to the nearest settlement. Currently, 20–25 people are accommodated in RC Principovac.

Reception Center (RC) Preševo: The majority of people in RC Preševo are undocumented individuals in an irregular position, mostly from Afghanistan, with smaller groups from Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia.
This week the number of users decreased compared to last week. However, according to reports from APC’s southern teams, migrants increasingly avoid the camp, especially those entering Serbia from North Macedonia, because information has spread among them that if they arrive at the camp on their own, they will be pushbacked (physically forced back into North Macedonia).

Reception Center (RC) Bujanovac:

– Problem with admitting minors and determining age. 
A chronic issue in the functioning of the reception center is determining the age of individuals entering the center. Center staff (KIRS) rely solely on the statements of the individuals, without considering appearance, behavior, or other indicators. For example, a group of three people from Afghanistan attempted to enter RC Bujanovac. Two of them initially claimed to be 18, although they were minors, hoping to obtain accommodation. Both stated that during their first contact with center staff they were not given the opportunity to explain their situation, that their English was insufficient to clarify they were minors, and that no interpreter was present.
A UNHCR representative explained that KIRS makes the final decision on admission and that, since the boys initially stated they were 18, UNHCR could not intervene further once it became clear they were minors. The UNHCR staff member brought them drinking water and informed them that there were no lunch portions left, as all 33 portions allocated for accommodated persons had already been distributed. They were told that friends or relatives already in the camp could share their food with them.

– Risk of separating close relatives and difficulty proving kinship.
A chronic problem also exists regarding determining kinship among individuals entering the reception system and specifically RC Bujanovac. For example, A. N. (2011), from Afghanistan, has been accommodated in the camp for five days after entering Serbia via North Macedonia, while his brother has been unable to join him. They were separated in North Macedonia when smugglers split them into smaller groups during the border crossing. The brothers had no photos or phones to prove their relationship to KIRS staff, and a security guard accused them of lying about their ages to gain entry into the camp.

– Aggressive behavior by camp security: Security staff were verbally aggressive not only toward residents and individuals seeking admission, but also when APC staff pointed out that some individuals were minors and that misunderstandings occurred due to language barriers. Security dismissed these claims, insisting that migrants were lying and trying to exploit the fact that the camp accepts minors, refusing to consider arguments presented by residents or applicants, and refusing to reconsider their decision or consult camp management or the local social welfare center in Bujanovac.

Situation at the Southern Border – North Macedonia / Serbia
According to testimonies, individuals entering Serbia from North Macedonia cannot be admitted directly to RC Preševo, even when they are adults. To avoid pushbacks, they first go to RC Bujanovac, from where KIRS then transports them to Preševo. However, KIRS sometimes does not transport them, citing lack of available vehicles, and adults are told to return to Preševo on foot or by other means.
Those who eventually end up in RC Preševo usually arrive there after being caught while transiting through Serbia toward Subotica or Belgrade, or after being pushbacked from Hungary or Croatia back into Serbia.

Serbian Border Police – Reports of Electroshock Use
H. H. (2008), S. N. (2008), and R. A. S. (2009), all from Afghanistan, entered Serbia from North Macedonia as part of a group of undocumented migrants when they were stopped by police. After crossing the border, Serbian police allegedly forced them back into North Macedonia using electroshock devices.

Situation at the Southeastern Border – Bulgaria / Serbia
Bulgaria remains the dominant entry route for undocumented refugees into Serbia. APC southern teams recorded that at least 80 people entered Serbia from Bulgaria in the first few days of this week, mostly in larger groups. After entering, smugglers typically organize transport to Belgrade and then to Subotica, where migrants attempt to cross into Hungary, or to Šid, where they try to continue transit toward Slovenia and enter Croatia

Situation at the Northern Border – Serbia / Hungary

Detention in the border area
Multiple reports indicate the existence of a garage like facility near the Horgoš border crossing, where individuals are held for several hours after being detained, before being relocated to southern Serbia.
M. A. (2000), W. S. (1999), and S. E. (2002), Afghan nationals, entered Serbia from Bulgaria with a group of about 30 migrants. They crossed the border on foot, then traveled by vehicle to Subotica, where they stayed in the forest for five days. Before attempting to cross into Hungary, police detained them and held them for about 12 hours in a room they described as a garage. They stated they received no food or water during detention.

Detention in Hungary before pushback:
N. K. (2003) and A. S. R. (2001), Afghan nationals, entered Serbia from Bulgaria with 22 other migrants. They crossed the border on foot at night, then traveled by vehicle to Belgrade, where they stayed eight days in a house. They then took a bus to Subotica and attempted to cross into Hungary. Hungarian police detained them for about five hours for checks, after which they were handed over to Serbian police.

Official Hungarian police data still show a lower number of people returned from Hungary than the actual situation on the ground, as well as a very small number of people prevented from attempting to cross the Hungarian fence. From 03.08 to 07.08, Hungary pushbacked a total of 25 people, while only 3 were prevented from crossing — fewer than APC northern teams recorded. It is possible that at least half of those who manage to cross the border (and are not identified by Hungarian police) continue toward Austria, but this cannot be confirmed with certainty.

Situation at the Border – Serbia / Croatia
Z. E. B. (1998) and H. T. (1996), Moroccan nationals, entered Serbia from Bulgaria hidden in a truck. According to their statements, the truck brought them to Belgrade, where they stayed hidden in a house provided by smugglers for ten days. They then went to Šid, stayed two days, and then illegally entered Croatia. Croatian police detained them for three days. They stated they received a six month entry ban for Croatia, but did not want to show documentation confirming this.
After three days, they were handed over to Serbian police, who held them for about ten hours in a local police station, after which they were relocated to RC Preševo.

Smuggling Prices
Prices for smuggling services on the route from Turkey to Serbia ranged approximately between €3,000 and €8,500, with higher amounts generally charged to Afghan nationals (€6,500–€8,500) compared to nationals of North African countries (€3,000–€6,000).