New Route: Migrants in Goražde Entered a Minefield, Tragedy Averted

GORAŽDE, (Patria) - Migrants illegally entering Bosnia and Herzegovina after Višegrad, Zvornik, Foča, Trebinje, and Gacko have also started entering the area of Goražde, which is near the tripoint of BiH, Serbia, and Montenegro. This was discussed by the Mayor of Goražde, Muhamed Ramović.

He pointed out that migrants do not stay in Goražde for longer than a day, and then continue by bus towards Sarajevo and Bihać.

The Border Police of BiH confirmed to Patria that members of the BiH Border Police in the zone of responsibility of the Field Office East Višegrad, together with colleagues from DKPT and SIPA who assist in protecting the state border, which further leads towards the Goražde area, recorded illegal border crossings by migrants.

Ramović said that one group of migrants, given that they are unfamiliar with the area and the language, entered a minefield, and thanks to the local population who warned them, as well as luck, everything passed without consequences.

- Most migrants complain about the excessive use of force by border guards in Serbia and Montenegro. They are grateful for the food provided by the local population, but state that what they need most is money - said Ramović.

The BiH Border Police confirm that the largest number of migrants were detected at the entrance to BiH in the area of the Field Office East Višegrad, while the greatest migration pressure at the exit from BiH is in the area of the Izačić and Velika Kladuša units.

Most migrants refuse to stay in reception centers, and in Sarajevo, larger groups are currently staying in the park near the Railway and Bus Station.

In the period from January 1, 2018 to June 12, 2018, according to migrants' statements, the following nationalities were recorded: Syria 523, Afghanistan 340, Pakistan 304, Iraq 290, Iran 233, Libya 139, according to data from the Border Police of BiH.

BiH Security Minister Dragan Mektić said on June 6 that there is a new route through which migrants enter BiH.

Director of the BiH Border Police Zoran Galić said that more than 30 individuals have been identified in two organized criminal groups that participated in illegal activities with the aim of smuggling migrants from BiH to the Republic of Croatia.

- Both groups operated in the area of Bihać and Velika Kladuša. It has been documented that they carried out the smuggling and transport of at least 100 foreign nationals, including citizens of Turkey and from the area of Kosovo, and in slightly smaller numbers, citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq - says Galić.

Galić previously stated that illegal migrants come from North Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and in smaller numbers from the area of Kosovo.

- They illegally attempt to cross the border, most often on foot between two border crossings, i.e., in the border zone. Also, they most often do not use the services of guides and choose locations used by groups before them, which facilitates our work and prevention. However, over time they also discover new routes, which forces us to redeploy our forces to a wider area, further complicating our work. They move with the help of navigation devices, maps, or sketches prepared earlier.

As pointed out by the Border Police, despite the complexity of the situation, there have been no major incidents with illegal migrants. Exhausted and sick individuals, children, and pregnant women, i.e., vulnerable categories, arrive at the border, which is why emergency medical interventions due to limb fractures, dehydration, and infections are increasingly common.

On Thursday, June 14, 2018, the Operational Staff for Migration Issues in BiH will hold a meeting in Sarajevo to discuss activities and measures to combat illegal migration and the care of migrants located on the territory of BiH.