Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport said he expected formation of a new support fund to assist countries along the Middle East transit route at the Luxembourg conference.
At the gathering titled Balkan Route and Refugee Crisis, Davenport highlighted importance of close cooperation among European Union, international donors and countries along the transit routes, even more so because winter was approaching. According to him, “we should be flexible while planning, because we expected more refugees to arrive.”
“EU is determined to continue to show genuine solidarity with countries in the region, including Serbia, the way it did during last year’s flooding,” Davenport said.
He stressed that current events were a test for the EU and that it was time the EU, its institutions and Member States took new, bold and determined actions in order to put principles of solidarity and humanity in practice.
“I would like to stress EU’s willingness to continue its support in a concrete manner,” Davenport said and added that we should have different scenarios in mind when dealing with refugee crisis. He reiterated compliments to Serbia for the way it treated refugees.
Davenport highlighted importance of the forthcoming meeting in Luxembourg and said he expected participants, Serbian representatives included, to adopt common Declaration which would set out increased support to transit countries.
“EU is determined to remain partner to countries in the region,” said Head of the EU Delegation.
Stressing importance of engaging civil society in refugee crisis, as well as their cooperation with authorities, Davenport announced that the EU stood ready to continue cooperation with everyone engaged in this issue.
Prime Minister Aleksаndаr Vucic said that this year, more than 172,000 refugees entered Serbia, a number 7.4 times higher than last year. He reiterated that Serbia showed solidarity and human approach during crisis, reaching out as far as it could and added that “it would never approve of hatred towards these people and gatherings aimed against them.”
Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic also praised authorities for their engagement in refugee crisis and added that citizens and NGOs also contributed to dealing with these historic events. He particularly mentioned the issue of 5,000 registered minors who crossed Serbia unaccompanied. “This is why we have to engage social workers,” Ombudsman said “because it is a proper way to protect and take care of minors and children.”
Executive Director of Open Society Fund Jadranka Jelincic said that refugee and migrant problem fell within the scope of human rights observance and added that civil sector was ready to continue its engagement on various aspects of this issue.
