Number of asylum seekers rising from Syria, Iraq in Kosovo

Escaped from war and conflict zones, a large number of refugees come to Kosovo to then proceed to the western countries. Until the year 2015, when 88 people from different countries had entered Kosovo within the year, the number has increased annually.

According to Kosovo Police data, for the January-August period of this year, the number of irregular immigrants entering Kosovo is 753 people. Migrants are mainly from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestinian territories.

Last week, 22 immigrants who have already settled at the Centre for Asylum in the village of Magure in Lipjan have entered Kosovo territory.

The centre's leader, Fitim Zariqi, told Radio Free Europe that from the beginning of the year until September, a total of 902 immigrants have frequented this shelter.

According to him, in recent years there is an increase in the number of migrants who come to Kosovo.

The “has come a little over the past years, but for us it's still in the range of normal management. Since the Center for Asylum has been opened, since 2010, they have consistently frequented asylum seekers or persons coming from war centres and conflict”, Zariqi said.

Zariqi said immigrants, who mainly flee from war zones, use Kosovo as a transitor country to infiltrate Western countries.

“Summunica, recently coming from Albania's territory, more has come from Macedonia (North) years ago, but since last year they have started coming from Albania, so they exploit Kosovo as a transit nation. During the interviews we make, they show that they have moved from Greece to Albania, then entered Kosovo illegally and claim to seek asylum, stay here a few days and then move on to Western countries” Zariqi said.

Arton Demhay from the organisation Get up told Radio Free Europe that earlier immigrants from Northern Macedonia entered Serbia directly, but because of strengthening security at that border, they are continuing to enter on the part of Kosovo, as according to him, moving from Kosovo to Serbia could be easier.

“Taking into account the large number of migrants, especially Syrians, who are in Turkey and who have it as a transitary way to get through European Union countries or the transition that can happen through Balkan countries, so that maybe through Serbia they can enter Hungary and enter the European Union countries, then it is the easiest way for them to have access to the EU”, Demhasday said.

Asylum seekers, who have been in Kosovo for several days, have mostly been from countries where there are conflicts, which are Syria and Iraq.

The biggest number is immigrants from Syria. Only last year have around 200 Syrians sought asylum in Kosovo/ REL.