15.11.2015.

Minister Gasic visited Miratovacko Polje and Presevo

Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic visited today with his associates Miratovacko Polje and the Reception Centre for migrants in Presevo.

Speaking about the current situation on the ground in this area, Minister Gasic stressed that this is a good example of an organized action at the state level, pointing to the consensus of all institutions responsible for the care of migrants.

- Step by step, everything is arranged so that the conditions in the camp, as well as passing through it, are most humane, adhering to all international conventions, in order to allow these people easier passage through Serbia. So far, in the past six months, through Serbia more than 490 thousand migrants from all over the world have passed – from Syria, Afghanistan, and today we even recorded economic migrants from Tunisia - Minister of Defence stressed, adding that members of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Interior shall ensure that nothing enters our country through detailed inspection of all luggage, so the safety of the citizens of Serbia is not threatened in any way.

According to him, the situation in the region, as well as in Europe is closely monitored, and, accordingly, certain measures are taken to prevent any security risks that could reach the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

Responding to journalists' questions, Minister Gasic pointed out that the Bureau for coordination of work of security services yesterday convened and that security measures in all institutions in this area have been raised, indicating that it is a normal procedure in the framework of monitoring the current security situation in the region and on the European continent. For now, he underlined, there are no indications that the level of threats to the citizens of our country is higher than it was a week ago.

Minister Gasic pointed out that Serbia is the third country on the path of migrants through which they are passing, but that is the only one on the route that keeps detailed records on their passage, explaining what it entails, step by step.

Speaking about the conditions on the ground, Defence Minister said that for the life and work of members of Government departments and agencies engaged in the care of migrants in our country adequate conditions for the coming winter must be provided. He also stressed the efforts of the Serbian Armed Forces, whose engineering units are deployed on the ground with a task to build a new access road to the reception centre, so the daily lives of the citizens of Presevo would go undisturbed.