"83,000 refugees registered, 500 asked for asylum"

"83,000 refugees registered, 500 asked for asylum"

Schodder said he was satisfied with the way the Serbian authorities treated migrants and added that the Serbian government was already making plans for the upcoming winter.

It is difficult to predict what will happen in the coming months, as it also depends on Greece and countries of the Western Europe. There should be a legal way for these people to be able to go Western European countries, to be able to cross the border legally and to obtain certain legal protection, Schodder said.

According to him, Serbian citizens have been "very tolerant so far" toward the refugees. Schodder added he hoped this would continue in the future, and said he was very pleased overall by the reaction of the Serbian government to accept to its territory, register and help the refugees, and allow them access to medical assistance.

Asked about Hungary's decision to build a fence along the border with Serbia to prevent migrants from reaching its territory, he said that all countries have the right to control their borders, but also the obligations, under national and international law, to accept refugees, allow them to their territory and provide them with protection.

"Fences are no solution, UNHCR is against that... it's not a practical solution and has so far proved not to function," Schodder was quoted as saying.