- Title: Migrants return to Belgrade after failed border march attempt
- Date: 5th October 2016
- Summary: INDJIJA, SERBIA (OCTOBER 5, 2016) (REUTERS) BUSSES COMING TO PETROL STATION VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS BOARDING BUS VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS PUSHING EACH OTHER TO GET ON BUS MAN LOOKING AROUND / SEATED INSIDE BUS MIGRANTS PUSHING EACH OTHER TO ENTER BUS MIGRANTS SITTING INSIDE/LOOKING MIGRANTS ENTERING INTO BUS VLADIMIR CUCIC, (RIGHT) FROM SERBIAN COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES TALKING TO MIGRANTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERBIAN COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, VLADIMIR CUCIC, SAYING: "And basically that is what it is. When they realised and we explained to them that it's impossible to enter the (European) Union without the procedure and that they have to obey the procedure, like the other 4,700 who are already on the list are obeying, they have to do the same. It will take time, it will take maybe months, maybe even a year, maybe more, but that's the only one way." VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SITTING INSIDE BUS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERBIAN COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, VLADIMIR CUCIC, SAYING: "And that's basically our message; that still we do not have the clear idea of the receiving countries, from the receiving countries what is the program, and what is least in the near future, at least the program for this winter, and in accordance to this we will behave as always." VARIOUS OF TWO BUSSES DRIVING AWAY UNDER POLICE ESCORT
- Embargoed: 20th October 2016 13:52
- Keywords:
- Location: INDJIJA, SERBIA
- City: INDJIJA, SERBIA
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00152QBSQV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A few dozen migrants were persuaded by Serbian authorities from attempting to walk in cold weather and rain towards the country's border with Hungary, demanding to be allowed passage further into the EU.
"When they realised and we explained to them that it's impossible to enter the (European) Union without the procedure and that they have to obey the procedure, like the other 4,700 who are already on the list are obeying, they have to do the same. It will take time, it will take maybe months, maybe even a year, maybe more, but that's the only one way," said Serbian Commissioner for Refugees, Vladimir Cucic, who negotiated the group's return.
Some 7,000 migrants, most fleeing war and poverty in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are trapped in Serbia, prevented from continuing further into Europe by fences running the length of the Hungarian-Serbian border.
After a night under heavy rain, most of the migrants, mainly men from Afghanistan and Pakistan, decided to return to Belgrade. The remainder hunkered down under police guard at a petrol station in Indjija, around 50 kilometres north of Belgrade.
The Belgrade-based Asylum Protection Centre said that refugee camps in Serbia are stretched thin. Serbian authorities say they expect EU partners to come up with a forward-looking system of accepting migrants from the Balkan nation, which is in negotiations to join the block.
"]S]till we do not have the clear idea of the receiving countries, from the receiving countries what is the program, and what is least in the near future, at least the program for this winter," Cucic said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None