Number of Refugees on the Balkan Route Decreases Slightly

As the first snow falls, and with stricter border controls, migrant arrivals in Croatia are dropping.

Although the refugee reception centre in Slavonski Brod continues to receive thousands of refugees, their numbers are slightly lower than they were several weeks ago. There were no incidents nor any attempts by economic migrants, people from countries not directly affected by wars and conflicts, to enter Croatia. Croatia and several other countries in the region have decided they will no longer accept such migrants. UNHCR has announced that it has collected 40,000 blankets, and the Red Cross has confirmed that it has enough warm clothing and footwear for everybody, reports Vecernji List on November 22, 2015.

It remains to be seen whether the rains and the first snow of the winter will further reduce the number of migrants arriving along the Balkan route. “In the last few days, we have seen a constant decline in the number of migrants entering Croatia. However, until a few days ago we had a continuous increase, so the average since the opening of the camp is between 6,000 and 6,500 people a day”, Domagoj Džigumović, spokesman for the Vukovar-Srijem Police Department, said.

From midnight to 9 pm on Saturday, 3,977 refugees entered Croatia. There are currently 1,038 refugees accommodated in a temporary refugee centre in Slavonski Brod. Since the beginning of the migration crisis, 427,296 migrants and refugees have passed through Croatia.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec confirmed that he was the first member of the Slovenian government to advocate the need for stronger controls of migrant wave and putting up the fence on the border with Croatia. “Even a month ago, it took a lot of effort to explain to some members of the government the seriousness of the situation. It was difficult to convince them that the fence is a necessary provisional measure to protect our people and migrants. Our public was opposed to putting up the fence”, Erjavec said on Saturday. It took time for situation to mature, but now there are no more doubts in Slovenia and abroad. Italy and Austria understand our decision, Erjavec said.

Slovenian minister added that he began advocating additional protection of the border with Croatia because of information that a large wave of refugees from Syria and neighbouring countries will continue and after Croatia dispersed some groups on the border and sent them to Slovenia without an agreement. Erjavec does not expect any major decisions on the future of the Schengen regime and control of the external borders of the EU to be made before the forthcoming summit between the EU and Turkey.

 

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