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148,000 citizens of Ukraine have transited through the Republic of Serbia since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine

A year has passed since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine. Commissioner for Refugees and Migration Nataša Stanisavljević made a guest appearance on RTS Morning Programme and spoke about the current situation concerning refugees from Ukraine and reflecting on the past year.

"The data published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is that around 8 million people left Ukraine. The largest number of refugees from Ukraine went to Russia, an estimated 2,800,000 people, and within European countries most of them went to Poland, one and a half million, and in Germany slightly more than one million. Over 148,000 Ukrainians transited through Serbia in the past year and 26,000 of them are registered residents in our country. The Commissariat for Refugees and Migration is in constant contact and takes care of 4,500 Ukrainians who are in private accommodation as well as those in collective accommodation in Vranje, assigned to the citizens of Ukraine,'' said Commissioner Stanisavljević.

There are currently 75 people staying in this Asylum Centre and 19 children attend school. According to the data of the Asylum Office, a total of 1,231 persons from Ukraine received a decision on temporary protection thus far. In the accommodation facilities of the Commissariat they are provided with food, healthcare, clothes, shoes, hygiene items, occupational and educational activities, help with the inclusion of children in the mainstream education system, internet, psychological support, as well as access to other rights and services, added the Commissioner.

Serbia reacted adequately to receive Ukrainian citizens who needed help which was provided at the border crossings and brochures were made in Ukrainian and Russian detailing care and other services available to them in Serbia. When the conflict in Ukraine began, Commissariat for Refugees and Migration distributed protocol to all local self-government districts with emphasis to the unaccompanied minors and that it is critical to immediately contact the governing Centre for Social Work.

The Commissioner recapped that the Government of the Republic of Serbia decided on the temporary protection of citizens of Ukraine, which was made possible by the Law on Asylum from 2018 with which our country also activated this type of protection for refugees for the first time.

"A one-year stay was granted, free education, health care and inclusion in the labour marketplace", concluded the Commissioner.