Official reiterates migrants turned back by EU cannot stay

Official reiterates migrants turned back by EU cannot stay

Stefanovic said that Serbia currently has an agreement with neighboring countries to send those economic migrants who have not been admitted to the European Union back to their countries of origin.

"During more than a year of the intense migrant crisis, none of these migrants stayed in Serbia and there is no fear that our country will become any kind of a collection center, and that migrants will stay permanently," said Stefanovic said in a statement on Wednesday.

The minister said that after a slight increase in the migrant wave early in the year, between 2,500 and 3,000 migrants are now arriveing in Serbia over any 24 hour period.

Stefanovic explained that EU countries, mainly Germany and Austria, followed by Slovenia and Croatia, have brought "certain rules" and no longer accept economic migrants.

He explained this concerns migrants coming from countries other than Syria and "other countries considered to have certain military conflicts" - and whose citizens can apply for asylum in the EU.

The minister added that Serbia has increased the capacity for temporary accommodation of migrants, that they are being "talk to and provided with humane treatment" but that it is "absolutely clear those who cannot enter the European Union cannot remain in Serbia."