SERBIA: REFUGEE COORDINATOR WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: APRIL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000367 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO PBTS PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SR SUBJECT: SERBIA: REFUGEE COORDINATOR WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: APRIL 3-10, 2008 BELGRADE 00000367 001.2 OF 002 European Commission Earmarks Ten Million Euros for Refugees and internally displaced persons in Serbia -------------- -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On April 10, refcord met with European Commission Delegation to Serbia's First Counselor and Head of Operations Ferenc Simon to discuss the 2007 and 2008 Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees. The EC announced on April 4 a 165 million Euro 2007 IPA package to Serbia for a wide range of sectors, including support to IDPs and refugees. Ferenc told refcord 10 million euros of the grant would fund housing construction, the purchase of village housing, and income generation grants for IDPs and refugees. He said the funds would also support free legal aid to refugees from Croatia and Bosnia who wished to return to their place of origin. He argued that although funding programs that helped displaced persons was important, support to IDPs and refugees was not specifically linked to criteria for EU accession, and thus the EC planned to cut the earmark down to 5 million euros for the 2008 IPA. Ferenc doubted the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees had the capacity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of IDPs and refugees in part due to failure by the GOS prioritize programs for IDPs and refugees. He believed that other components of the IPA, including economic development, infrastructure and health sector reform would tangentially benefit refugees and IDPs as Serbia progressed in the accession process. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights: GOS Does Not Care about Refugees -------------- -------------- ¶2. On April 3, refcord and poloff met the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights leader Sonja Biserko. She shared impressions of her recent trip to Kosovo and discussed her views on what could be done to help Kosovo Serbs in enclaves. Biserko said the GOS only encouraged Kosovo Serbs to stay in Kosovo because it had nothing to offer them in Serbia. "The Serbian government goes not care about refugees," she said. Biserko said she had heard of several cases of Serbs in Kosovo requesting resettlement to Norway, ostensibly because they know "there is nothing for them in Serbia." She shared her recommendations for how the international community and Kosovo authorities could help settle the problems facing Serbian communities in Kosovo. Biserko's suggestions specific to returnees and IDPs included settling property disputes, encouraging IDP returns to Kosovo, reconstructing houses, assisting Serb returnees in rural areas with agricultural equipment and farming subsidies and fostering interethnic dialogue and tolerance as preconditions for IDP returns to Kosovo. Ambassador's Fund Makes a Big Difference for Belgrade Youth Center -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On April 9, refcord visited the Educational Institute for Children and Adolescents in Belgrade, a recipient of the FY 2007 PRM Ambassador Fund. The facility provides short-term accommodation and assistance to victims of trafficking, runaways, youth with behavioral and social disorders and other at-risk children and adolescents; these categories often include IDP, refugee and other migrant children. The three-story facility, which houses up to 90 children at one time, required substantial renovation (dilapidated doors and windows) and needed equipment (heaters, furniture, small appliances and medical equipment) when it was selected to receive the $12,000 Ambassador Fund. Refcord visit coincided with completion of the renovations and procurement of equipment. The institute's manager Danijela Stajkovic said she was grateful for the assistance. "You cannot imagine the difference these upgrades make for the children living here," she said. Stajkovic proudly added that the center was able to leverage the grant to convince other donors, including Norwegian telecommunications provider Telenor and the city of Belgrade to contribute supplementary assistance to the center. BELGRADE 00000367 002.2 OF 002 News Roundup: IDPs call on Kostunica to appoint new Refugee Commissioner; Justice Ministry-UNDP Announce Free Legal Aid Program for Marginalized Populations -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) Belgrade daily Danas reported April 8 that disgruntled IDPs in Vojvodina called on Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica to immediately appoint a new Refugee Commissioner. They said current Commissioner Dragisa Dabetic would be remembered by IDPs and refugees for "empty promises and deplorable living conditions in collective centers." The IDPs cited financial irregularities and failure to respond to the needs of refugees and IDPs as means for Dabetic's dismissal. ¶5. (U) Belgrade daily Danas reported April 8 that the Justice Ministry and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) had embarked on an initiative to provide free legal assistance to vulnerable populations in Serbia, including refugees, IDPs, Roma, disabled individuals and domestic violence victims. The article stated that the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) funded project would benefit 4,600 individuals and would be implemented by local legal aid NGOs. According to the article, the initiative would be a precursor for an effective state-funded and state-run legal aid system for those people who could not afford legal services. MUNTER