Asylum seekers protest against conditions in the accommodation centre in Zagreb.
Due to a protest of asylum seekers who are not satisfied with the conditions at the former Porin Hotel in Zagreb, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced on Tuesday that it understood the dissatisfaction of some of the people accommodated at the shelter in Zagreb, but pointed out that their allegations of shortcomings in living conditions were not justified, reports Večernji List on April 27, 2016.
In the centre, there are currently 300 asylum seekers, and their complaints are related to inadequate food services, unavailability of medical care and education services for children, and a too low financial assistance.
The Interior Ministry responded that the shelter provided conditions that include accommodation, food, clothing, reimbursement of costs for public transport and financial assistance, and that the asylum system in Croatia was fully compliant with European directives.
“Families which are housed at the shelter in Zagreb have mostly sought international protection during March. All children, after their parents apply for international protection, will be provided with the possibility to be included in the Croatia’s educational system, depending on their age, previous education level and language proficiency. We should like to point out that a certain number of people avoid filing their application or decide to give up on seeking protection in Croatia”, said the Ministry.
In Croatia, there are two shelters for accommodation of people seeking international protection, one of which is a facility in Kutina, with the capacity for 100 people, and the other is the former Porin Hotel in Zagreb, with the accommodation capacity for 600 people.
The agreement between the Ministry of Health and health centres in Kutina and Zagreb provides for delivery of medical services for asylum seekers and, if necessary, asylum seekers are sent to further specialist examinations in appropriate health facilities, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Also, courses of Croatian language for all ages are organized at the shelter, and especially for school-age children to prepare them for going to Croatian schools.
