NGOs working on the Balkan route compare the idea of setting up defensive walls against migrants to Brexit, a decision that brought back to Europe the concept of borders. A wall is not sufficient to stop the flow of migrants, just like water finds its way, they said.
Almost half of the 2022 irregular border crossings were made overland through the Western Balkans region, EU border agency Frontex said. The preliminary figures do not include Ukrainian refugees.
The European Commission has proposed a new aid package worth over €39 million to increase border controls and 'migration management.' They also want to send Frontex officials to non-EU borders in the Balkans.
Children hoping to reach Western Europe via the Balkans are frequently subjected to violence, according to a new report published by the NGO Save The Children. Border police and smugglers are the most common perpetrators, but not the only ones.
In the first eight months of 2022, the European border agency Frontex has recorded nearly 188,200 irregular entries at the external borders of the European Union, the highest number of arrivals registered since 2016.
To meet its demands in the construction sector, Balkan state Bosnia and Herzegovina has started recruiting migrant workers from Bangladesh. Many are going with the hopes of earning enough to send money back to their families.
Nilofar arrived in Turkey on an evacuation flight from Afghanistan. She already had a residency visa for Turkey, but when it ran out, and finding no work, she attempted to travel the Balkan Route to Europe. This is her story:
The government of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced it was beginning to deport migrants back to their home countries. The measure began on Sunday with a test case of two Pakistani nationals on a commercial flight.
The plight of Ukrainian refugees has captured the world's attention. Meanwhile, the struggles of millions of refugees from other countries have faded from view. How are they faring? A look at the Balkans.
The EU says it has registered a considerable increase of irregular entries into the bloc from the Western Balkans. The EU border agency Frontex said that many of the irregular migrants and refugees were either Afghan or Syrian.
Sayem, a Bangladeshi migrant in Bosnia and Herzegovina, told InfoMigrants that he was mistreated by Croatian border police. Investigative outlets have documented many similar testimonies in recent years.
A migrant camp in Bosnia has been closed and up to 200 residents have been moved to the nearly Lipa facility, according to an aid group. No Name Kitchen said migrants also were forcibly evicted from squats in the area.