74,000 refugees in Serbia, IDPs priority

The exit strategy internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, and assistance to IDPs who stayed in Kosovo are the Refugee Commisariat's priorities. Serbian Commissioner Vladimir Cucic stated on Wednesday that despite the crisis, the Serbian government increased the Commissariat's budget by ten percent this year as well, adding that he expects the Commissariat's funds to total nearly RSD 1.5 billion. 74,000 refugees in Serbia, IDPs priority With the help of donors, the funds would be used in the realization of programs aimed at resolving tenancy and economic problems of refugees who obtained Serbian citizenship but are still socially vulnerable, he noted. Cucic expressed regret over the fact that some of the Commissariat's long-standing partners, such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), are slowly giving in, and added that taking into consideration the crises around the world, it is clear that focus cannot remain attached to one crisis for over 20 years, but that the Commissariat is surprised that the exit strategy is being implemented in such a restrictive manner. He recalled that UNHCR once used to provide 80 percent of the funds for refugee care, but it now holds a seven percent stake in the expenses of collective center shutdown. Cucic noted that 74,000 people in Serbia still have the status of refugees, another 3.000 still live in official collective centers, 2,000 more live in informal collective centers and around 5.000 are living in unhygienic settlements. He hopes that the donor conference in Sarajevo in April would be a success, since its aim is to set up a fund and raise EUR 550 million for ensuring permanent care for around 73,000 refugee families in four countries in the region. According to him, two decades after the war, the return of refugees and IDPs is dying out and a very small number of people returned to Croatia, the recovery of IDP estates has the priority in Bosnia-Herzegovina, while around 7,000 refugees from the country are still waiting for around 3,500 to be renewed. When it comes to the return of IDPs to Kosovo and Metohija, this was the worst year so far, the Serbian commissioner stated. The return of people to the province is measured "by permille" - since only several hundred out of 200,000 IDPs permanently returned to Kosovo, Cucic stated and asked whether the return to Kosovo and Metohija "can even be a topic of discussion if people are still being targeted by shooters". Tanjug

74,000 refugees in Serbia, IDPs priority

With the help of donors, the funds would be used in the realization of programs aimed at resolving tenancy and economic problems of refugees who obtained Serbian citizenship but are still socially vulnerable, he noted.

Čučić expressed regret over the fact that some of the Commissariat's long-standing partners, such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), are slowly giving in, and added that taking into consideration the crises around the world, it is clear that focus cannot remain attached to one crisis for over 20 years, but that the Commissariat is surprised that the exit strategy is being implemented in such a restrictive manner.

He recalled that UNHCR once used to provide 80 percent of the funds for refugee care, but it now holds a seven percent stake in the expenses of collective center shutdown.

Čučić noted that 74,000 people in Serbia still have the status of refugees, another 3.000 still live in official collective centers, 2,000 more live in informal collective centers and around 5.000 are living in unhygienic settlements.

He hopes that the donor conference in Sarajevo in April would be a success, since its aim is to set up a fund and raise EUR 550 million for ensuring permanent care for around 73,000 refugee families in four countries in the region.

According to him, two decades after the war, the return of refugees and IDPs is dying out and a very small number of people returned to Croatia, the recovery of IDP estates has the priority in Bosnia-Herzegovina, while around 7,000 refugees from the country are still waiting for around 3,500 to be renewed.

When it comes to the return of IDPs to Kosovo and Metohija, this was the worst year so far, the Serbian commissioner stated.

The return of people to the province is measured "by permille" - since only several hundred out of 200,000 IDPs permanently returned to Kosovo, Čučić stated and asked whether the return to Kosovo and Metohija "can even be a topic of discussion if people are still being targeted by shooters".