MUP most responsible for asylum seeker position in Serbia

BELGRADE - Serbia's asylum policy still does not comply with the EU standards, and its priorities should be the adoption of a new law on asylum and the provision of capacities to meet the housing needs of asylum seekers, it was concluded on Wednesday in the panel discussion titled "Asylum in Serbia - problems and perspectives".

Head of the EU delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport warned that without progress in the asylum policy there will be no progress in the talks on Chapter 24, while State Secretary at the Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) Vladimir Bozovic said that MUP bears the principal responsibility for the current situation.

Serbia is preparing for the beginning of talks on new chapters with the EU. It is certain that no progress will be made on Chapter 24 without a tangible progress in priorities related to the asylum issue, said Davenport.

Asylum seekers must be provided with accommodation, food and clothing, and given an opportunity to substantiate their request, while asylum applications should be processed in a quick, efficient and fair manner, he said.

Davenport noted that the asylum office has not yet been established although the Law on Asylum was passed back in 2007, adding that the processing of asylum applications is inadequate and that additional accommodation centers should be opened.

Serbia is still in the early stage of harmonization with the EU asylum policy. We expect to see a significant progress in this area in the coming period, which we could register in the 2014 annual progress report, the EU official said.

State Secretary Bozovic said that the responsibility for the current situation lies with MUP and the ministers who were at its helm since 2007, when the Law on Asylum...