Readmission and cooperation
- “Agreement on readmission of persons residing without authorization” was signed on the 18th of September 2007 in Brussels between Republic of Serbia and the European Union.
- National Assembly of Serbia ratified Agreement on the 7th of November 2007.
- The Readmission Agreement with the EU came into force on the 1st of January 2008.
- This Agreement regulated the area of return and admission of the returnees returning based on the Readmission Agreement.
Strategy
- On the 13th of February 2009 the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted Strategy of Reintegration of the Returnees based on the Readmission Agreement.
- Strategy defines the institutional framework, measures, activities and stakeholders for the sustainable reintegration of returnees.
- Action Plan for Strategy Implementation for the period 2009 and 2010 was adopted on 16th of April 2009.
- Action Plan for 2011 and 2012 was adopted on 29th of September 2011.
- Council for Returnees Reintegration was established on 23rd of October 2008.
- Council Chairman is Dr. Jovan Krkobabic, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia while his deputy is Mr. Ivica Dacic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia.
- A Team for the Monitoring of the Strategy Implementationmonitoring was established within the Council.
Council
- The Council is a multidisciplinary body which:
- Propose measures and activities for realization and admission of returnees,
- Assist in identification and implementation of measures on the local government units for assisting returnees,
- Propose a framework for dialogue establishing between countries on migrants issues and the problem of illegal immigration,
- Monitors the implementation of the stipulated measures.
- Council members are representatives of the: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning, Ministry of Faith and Diaspora, Office for European Integration and the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration.
Team for Strategy Implementation:
- Is professional and coordinating body which has to ensure achievement of the strategic objectives of the Strategy of Returnees Reintegration.
- Members of team are representatives of all line competent ministries and other relevant bodies and organizations.
- Team cooperates with other organisations, institutions and public services, national and international organizations.
- Collects data, analyze them, and report to the Council.
- President of the Council is a Head of the Team.
Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia
- Coordinates and organizes primary and urgent admission of returnees, creates conditions for the successful returnees reintegration based on the Readmission Agreement.
- Resolves issues relevant to the prevention of secondary migration, human trafficking prevention, promotion of principles of affirmative discrimination, etc.
- Cooperates with local government units.
- Informs the returnees, general public, local and international organizations.
- Creates a database.
- Organizes the training of stakeholders who work with this group of people.
- Implements and monitors, on operation level, implementation of planned activities.
Emergency admission centres
- By the readjustment of parts of collective centres and their reconstruction formed Centres for Emergency Admission of the Returnees have been established.
- Emergency Admission Centres are located in: Zajecar, Bela Palanka and Sabac.
- Emergency Admission Centres for returnees are intended for accommodation of the most vulnerable returnee families based on the Referral issued by the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia.
- In the centres basic needs, are provided, for the period prescribed by the Strategy from 3 to a maximum of 14 days.
- Services available in the centres:
- Accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
- Information on the rights, obligations and opportunities.
- Assistance in the process of obtaining documentation.
- Informing, contacting and requesting assistance of the Centre for Social from the scope of its competences.
- Mediation at the relevant authorities in achieving assistance within their range of competences.
- Transportation of families to the receiving environment after a period of urgent admission.
Readmission Office at the Airport "Nikola Tesla" in Belgrade
- The Office for the admission of Returnees According Readmission Agreement has been opened on the 12th of February 2006.
- Since May 2009 the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration is in charge for activities of the primary admission in the office for readmission at the airport "Nikola Tesla".
- The office provided information and advices to returnees till year 2009.
- Since 2009 assistance and support programs have improved significantly, and trustees for refugees and migration are involved in the process.
- Within the Readmission Office returnees may obtain the following types of assistance:
- Information on the rights, obligations and opportunities,
- Guidance how to obtain personal documents
Primary and urgent admission which includes:
- Transportation to the shelter , connection with the centres for social welfare for the purpose of providing transportation tickets, lodging in emergency admission centres of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration
- Referral to the Commissariat / Councils for migration and other services of local governments for further assistance
- Returnees can contact with relatives and friends.
Assistance of the Trustees/ Council for Migration
- Upon arrival at the place of future residence/ temporary residence, returnees are obliged to contact local Trustee office/ Council for Migration for the purpose of:
- Registration of returnees
- Information on the rights, obligations and opportunities
- Provision of Assistance in writing applications, requests, letters, etc..
The rights of returnees
- Travel certificate is often the only identification document that person has until they obtain other documents.
The rights which returnee can gain based on Travel Document:
- Personal identification
- Emergency medical aid
- Addressing to the Centre of the Social Welfare
- Commencing the process of enrolling children in primary or secondary school.
- Upon return, it is necessary to start the procedures for obtaining personal documentation as soon as possible for achieving other rights.
- After obtaining of documentation returnees exercise their rights under the same conditions as other citizens of the Republic of Serbia.
Centre for Social Welfare provides:
- Counselling and mediation..
- Public Kitchen (provide one meal a day).
- One-time financial assistance - in the Centre for Social Welfare in the municipality in which returnee resides.
- Free one-way ticket to the place of residence.
- Temporary placement in a shelter - Centre for Social Welfare shall issue a decision on accommodation of a returnee (individual).
Health care
- The Ministry of Health issued an instruction on the recognition of the Travel Document as a valid document for the exercising free of charge emergency medical aid during the period of validity of the travel document.
- For regular health care is necessary to obtain health care card.
Employment
- After obtaining personal documents, returnee is entitled to apply the National Employment Service and thus become a user of the services provided by this service.
Recommendations for improving returnee’s reintegration. Strategy of Returnees Reintegration under the Readmission Agreement provides a number of recommendations and measures:
- In the field of education
- In obtaining social and health care
- In the area of employment (additional training, business start up support, conucting programs of employment through public works)
- Defining a separate budget line on the local level for integration programs for marginalized groups, especially for the reintegration of returnees
- Creating conditions for housing (support in providing funds for social housing, purchasing of the village households)