The situation at the border crossings Gevgelija and Kumanovo for the period: 12.12.2016 – 18.12.2016

The weekly report on the situation at the border crossings Gevgelija and Kumanovo includes the following topics: Available facilities and conditions at the camp and Institutional treatment.

Gevgelija

Available facilities and conditions

The number of refugees in the camp amounted to 99, and by the end of the week there was only 1 refugee less.

There have been no significant changes in the camp infrastructure.

The refugees who need it, are allowed to go for an outing to the town, accompanied by representatives of the Red Cross.

Institutional treatment

On 14.12.2016 26 refugees were brought to the camp, most of whom originating from Pakistan. After they were provided with humanitarian aid by the Red Cross and a check-up by the security services, they were all transported to Greek territory. On the next day, five refugees were brought, two of whom originating from Pakistan and three originating from Iraq. After they were provided with humanitarian aid and were questioned by the security services, they were all transported to Greece.

On 16.12.2016, the refugees refused to have dinner in sign of protest because their situation is still unresolved.

On 17.12.2016, 7 refugees originating from Syria were brought to the camp again, who were registered and had their fingerprints taken. After they were questioned by the security services, in a short while they were taken back to Greek territory.

A refugee who had been staying in the camp for a longer period of time, was transferred to the Shelter Center for Asylum seekers in Vizbegovo in the course of the day (16.12.2016), accompanied by representatives from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, as he is planning to start the asylum procedure from there.

On 18.16.2016, four refugees originating from Pakistan were brought to the camp. One of them was caught at the railway station in Gevgelija, in a passenger train that arrived from Skopje, after he had previously been turned back from the Republic of Serbia. The remaining three were caught by the police in an attempt to cross the Greek-Macedonian border. The Red Cross provided them with medical and humanitarian aid, whereby they were all transported to Greek territory.

Kumanovo

Available facilities and conditions

The official number of refugees in the camp is unknown, while off the record, the number of refugees is about 100. The refugees who are residing in the vicinity of the camp are not always allowed to enter the camp in order to get food.

Near the end of the week, a delegation from Japan paid a visit to the camp and donated origami and school supplies to the children.

Institutional treatment

Two successful cases of families reuniting were registered. A family originating from Syria, i.e. a mother who was staying in the camp with her three children will be reunited with the father who is residing in Germany. At the same time, a woman originating from Syria has finished the procedure for reuniting with her sister, who is also living in Germany. In the course of the week the woman was taken to the Alexander the Great Airport in Skopje, accompanied by the Red Cross, in order to depart to Germany.

The situation in the Shelter Centers in the Republic of Macedonia

The number of refugees and asylum seekers in the Shelter Centers for foreigners and asylum seekers in Macedonia is not available for the time being.

Irregular migration

In the course of this week, the Ministry of Internal Affairs registered a single criminal and legal event related to refugees. On 15.12.2016, police officers registered two vehicles near Demir Kapija and gave them a signal to stop. One of the vehicles did not stop, while the other vehicle stopped near the junction “Negotino” and the driver fled. 11 refugees originating from Syria and Pakistan were found in the vehicle. As MoI informs, some of those people were sent back to Greece, while some were accommodated in the country in order to clarify their cases.