Big chill in Balkans deepens danger and misery for migrants

A brutal cold snap that has killed dozens of people from the Baltic to the Black Sea is deepening misery and compounding danger for thousands of refugees and migrants who are stuck in dismal conditions across the Balkans.

The first big chill of winter across central and eastern Europe has claimed more than 70 lives through accidents and exposure to temperatures as low as minus 30 Celsius, and disrupted major transport and power networks.

States on the so-called Balkan route officially closed their frontiers to asylum seekers last March, but thousands of migrants and refugees are still living in camps or sleeping rough from the Greek islands to the Serbia-Hungary border.

"The situation is particularly concerning for those stuck on the Greek islands, living in tents in overcrowded camps and for those stranded in abandoned buildings in [Serbia's capital] Belgrade or still trying to cross the Balkan borders," said Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF).

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"More than 7,500 people are currently stranded in Serbia, living in overcrowded camps and informal settlements," MSF told The Irish Times.

“In Belgrade, around 2,000 young people, mainly from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Syria, are currently sleeping in abandoned buildings in the city centre, whilst temperatures plummet to as low as minus 20,” the group added.

“In recent months, Serbian authorities have severely restricted the provision of humanitarian assistance to these people, only tolerating volunteers doing a basic distribution of blankets and food.”

Four dead

Since the beginning of the new year, at least four people have been found dead due to the cold at different points along the Balkan route, which is still being used by migrants and refugees making their own way to Europe or paying people smugglers for help.

"Last weekend, temperatures reached as low at minus 16 . . . There is 30cm of snow here now and none of these people are clothed or equipped for this type of weather," said Andrea Contenta, a humanitarian adviser with MSF in Serbia.

“There have been seven cases of frostbite in Belgrade in the last 24 hours . . . I am certain that the number of frostbite cases will be significantly higher by the end of the week,” she added.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said that “this extreme weather at the start of 2017 has brought particular fear for the lives and wellbeing of 15,500 migrants and asylum seekers, housed in camps on Greek islands, including many in places that have been hit hard with snowfall”.

"Additionally, some 6,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey are reported to be without adequate, winterised shelter – out of a total refugee population of about three million," the group added.

William Lacy Swing, IOM's director general, said it was "imperative that the world respond to the dangers exposed by these extreme weather conditions with food aid, shelter and other resources in the short term and long term".

Ms Contenta said the EU’s failure to tackle the refugee crisis properly was putting lives at risk.

“Pretending this [Balkan] route is closed and these people do not exist is not the solution,” she said.