EUROPE-MIGRANTS/SERBIA-VUCIC Serbia’s Vucic welcomes migrants in downtown Belgrade

Record ID: 142851

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/SERBIA-VUCIC Serbia’s Vucic welcomes migrants in downtown Belgrade
  • Date: 19th August 2015
  • Summary: BELGRADE, SERBIA (AUGUST 19, 2015) (REUTERS) PARK NEAR MAIN CITY BUS AND TRAIN STATION VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS IN PARK WOMAN WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN SITTING ON GROUND IN SHADE TENTS IN PARK BOY SLEEPING ON GROUND MAN CROUCHED OVER ON BENCH IN PARK WOMAN WITH CHILD IN FRONT OF TENT CHILD WITH DOLL ON GROUND LAUNDRY ON ROPE SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC, TALKING WITH MIGRANTS VUCIC POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS WITH CHILDREN MIGRANTS IN PARK (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC, SAYING: "Daily, we have 2,000 migrants entering from Macedonia into Serbia, it's a huge number for us, especially having in mind that for them it is now more difficult to leave Serbia. That pressure is growing upon us, but we will never call it a problem, like others are doing, and we will solve it." VUCIC TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC, SAYING: "We will not build barbed wire or walls or anything similar, we will treat these people (migrants) like good people." MIGRANTS STANDING IN PARK MAN FEEDING BABY WITH BOTTLE VUCIC WALKING IN PARK
  • Embargoed: 3rd September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Serbia
  • Country: Serbia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4GUX3H5WIJQDEY0ULDU55JM6H
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday (August 19) visited a park in downtown Belgrade where around a thousand migrants have been camping before continuing their journey towards the border with Hungary, where a fence is being built to fend them off.
    In the park located near the city's central bus and train stations, Vucic said that Serbia would not build any fence or wall on the border - alluding to a Hungarian project currently under construction - despite the fact that around 2000 people cross daily from Macedonia into Serbia.
    "Daily, we have 2000 migrants entering from Macedonia into Serbia, it's a huge number for us, especially having in mind that for them it is now more difficult to leave Serbia. That pressure is growing upon us, but we will never call it a problem, like others are doing, and we will solve it," Vucic said.
    Serbia has built a migrant centre near the southern town Presevo where many of the migrants cross on foot from neighbouring Macedonia, but authorities have been planning to build another one near Belgrade where up to 2000 people can find shelter, especially during the winter.
    "We will not build barbed wire or walls or anything similar, we will treat these people (migrants) like good people," Vucic added.
    Serbia is on the main route of migrants, who are entering the country from Macedonia on their way to western Europe. Since Hungary started building a wall on its border with Serbia to keep migrants away, many may end up stranded on Serbian territory, or look for alternative routes into the European Union.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register