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Increasing migratory pressures in Serbia have led to conflict between people smuggling groups and crackdowns on migration.

Loznica is one of the hotspots of crime in western Serbia, a place where migrants gather, meet smugglers and use illegal routes to cross the Drina river into Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 13 March 2023, an Afghan migrant was found dead with three gunshot wounds to the chest,1 in a case police are describing as a murder.2 In just 10 days in June 2023, people living in the forested area between Radanovac and Tresetište, on the border between Serbia and Hungary, twice reported hearing gunfire bursts from automatic rifles.3 In one of the incidents, three migrants were injured.4 These are just the latest incidents in a wave of escalating violence in Serbia since 2022, related to new migratory pressures in the country.

The Serbian Refugees and Migration Commissariat registered 124 127 migrants at 17 reception and asylum centres in the country in 2022.5 This is the highest number since 2016, and twice as many as in 2021, when 60 075 migrants were registered at the centres.6 Nearly all come from one of five countries: Afghanistan (36%), Syria (29%), Pakistan (12%), Morocco (8%) or India (4%).7

Afghans, Syrians and Pakistanis travel to Serbia via land routes through Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece. The most common entry points to Serbia are the border areas with North Macedonia and Bulgaria and, to a lesser extent, those with Montenegro and Kosovo. The main exit points are on the borders with Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. While some people enter the country across land borders, others – for example from Burundi, Cuba, India, Tunisia and Turkey – take advantage of Serbia’s accommodating visa policies and fly directly to Belgrade via Istanbul. In the first four months of 2022, almost 1 600 Tunisians illegally entered the EU through this route, twice as many as in the whole of 2021.8

Demand for smuggling services rose during 2022 as increasing numbers of migrants arrived in Serbia at a time when it was becoming more difficult to enter Hungary, pushbacks intensified and there was a lack of accommodation for migrants in Serbia.9 As a result, the flow of illegal migrants sped up and smuggling became more attractive.10 In 2022, police detected 191% more illicit crossings than in the previous year.11 Migrants in Serbia’s reception centres are staying for increasingly shorter periods – 16 days on average in 2022, half of the duration recorded in 2021 and 2020, when they stayed an average of 30 to 36 days.12 Smuggling groups usually have members operating in the centres on the lookout for new migrants to profit from.13

The war in Ukraine is another factor that has influenced human smuggling. The Serbian borders became more porous after the war began in February 202214 as institu­tions redistributed resources and were overwhelmed with the almost 150 000 Ukrainians and 220 000 Russians who entered or passed through Serbia.15

In March 2023, Serbian customs prevented a migrant hidden under the hood of a car from illegally crossing the border to Hungary.

In March 2023, Serbian customs prevented a migrant hidden under the hood of a car from illegally crossing the border to Hungary.

Photo: Serbian Customs Administration

Violent clashes among smugglers

Smugglers are apparently becoming more organized and violent. According to police, five out of the 28 criminal organizations whose work they disrupted in 2022 dealt with human smuggling.16 Furthermore, police dismantled 20 people smuggling groups from 2020 to 2022.17

As shown in Figure 1, over the past 12 months there have been a number of violent incidents that have led to deaths and injuries. These almost always occurred at night, close to the borders with Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, rather than the entry points on the borders with North Macedonia or Bulgaria. The clashes occurred near informal migrant camps, usually in remote areas close to the borders, such as in Srpski Krstur, Martonoš, Makova Sedmica, Hajdukovo, Tresetište and Mali Horgos, or in the west (Trbušnica).

Date Casualties Location Actors
26 June 2023 No data about casualties18 In the forested area close to Radanovac and Tresetište, on the border between Serbia and Hungary Unknown
24 June 2023 One migrant killed19 Near a water reservoir in Pirot, 30 kilometres from the border with Bulgaria Unknown
17 June 2023 Three migrants injured20 In the forested area close to Radanovac and Tresetište, on the border between Serbia and Hungary Unknown
19 May 2023 One migrant killed, two injured21 In Sombor near the reception centre in Šikara, 24 kilometres from the border with Hungary Unknown
13 March 2023 One migrant killed22 In Loznica, three kilometres from the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina People from Afghanistan
8 February
2023		 Two migrants injured23 In Subotica Forest near Hajdukovo village, 10 kilometres from the border with Hungary People from Afghanistan
26 January 2023 Two migrants injured24 The bridge at the channel in Sombor close to the hotel Beli Dvor, where migrants usually stay People from Afghanistan and Syria
24 November 2022 One migrant injured25 Bele Bartoka street in Horgos on the way to the border crossing with Hungary26 People from Morocco and Pakistan
2 July
2022		 One migrant killed and eight injured27 Makova Sedmica settlement near Subotica, close to the border with Hungary People from Afghanistan

Figure 1 Violent incidents in Serbia involving migrants, July 2022 to June 2023.

The clashes are predominantly between groups of smugglers. For example, on 2 July 2022, two Afghan smuggling groups fought for control over a key crossing point.28 They were armed with machetes that can be bought in local shops and automatic rifles, like Kalashnikovs, which had been trafficked from Kosovo.29

Profile of smuggling groups

Smuggling groups active in Serbia are transnational, well-organized, flexible and dangerous. Members are citizens from Serbia and the countries where the largest migrant populations originate.30 The local members are often responsible for logistics, accommodation, food and moving migrants internally through Serbia. For example, in February 2023, police arrested eight transport company employees because they drove migrants from Dimitrovgrad, close to Bulgaria, to other cities in Serbia.31

The main foreign smugglers are from Afghanistan and Morocco, and operate in Serbia and abroad, mainly in Turkey. Those active in Serbia tend to middle-aged men – sometimes associated with radical Islamic groups – who coordinate smuggling operations. During a raid in December 2022, police arrested two people with outstanding international arrest warrants issued by France for suspicion of terrorism.32 Other members without a criminal past became smugglers because that was the only way to pay for their own ticket into the EU. High-level members usually did not cross the border into Serbia.

Media reports identified two people who allegedly led smuggling groups in Serbia. One, a certain Mohammed Tetouani, is from the Moroccan city of Tetouan. He has reportedly controlled one of the informal camps near Horgos, close to the border with Hungary, for more than two years. From there, migrants from the Middle East and North Africa paid €3 000 per person to smugglers to organize their illegal crossings. Smugglers also ensure peace and order in the camp and that migrants have food and water.33

Another alleged smuggling leader, Al-kazaoui, is from Casablanca, Morocco. He reportedly provided similar services to those of Tetouani. In his camp, migrants paid €1 000 each for their chosen route.34 Illegal crossings usually started around six p.m.35

Both smugglers reportedly used apps like Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok; made use online maps, cars, buses, trucks, ladders; and bribed border control officials to facilitate their work. Firearms were used to guard the camps.36

In January 2023, during a search of migrants in Horgos and Srpski Krstur, police found automatic firearms and ammunition.

In January 2023, during a search of migrants in Horgos and Srpski Krstur, police found automatic firearms and ammunition.

Photo: Serbian Interior Ministry

Response to people smuggling

While Serbia faces growing security problems along its borders, it is also dealing with increased pressure from the EU to tighten its visa policy. Serbia had established visa exemption regimes for citizens from 20 countries on the EU’s visa-required list.37 The result was an increase in the irregular flow of people from some of those countries, including Burundi, Cuba, India, Tunisia and Turkey, travelling to Serbia and then into the EU without completing visa procedures.38 This was similar to the situation in 2017, when the Serbian government abolished visas for Iranians.39

The Serbian government subsequently reintroduced visas for four of the five countries identified by the EU as critical, as shown in Figure 2. Policy shifts occurred in October 2022 after a trilateral meeting in Budapest between Austrian, Hungarian and Serbian high-level representatives.40 Following similar international pressure in 2018, Serbia had re-introduced visas for Iranians.41

Country Start date of visa-free regime with Serbia End date of visa-free regime with Serbia
Burundi 2 June 2018 22 October 2022
Cuba 6 October 1965 14 April 2023
India 2 September 2017 1 January 2023
Tunisia 16 June 1965 20 November 2022
Turkey 12 July 201042 Still in force

Figure 2 Visa policy status between Serbia and countries for which the EU requested the Serbian government cancel its visa-free regime.

The Serbian government responded to violent clashes among smuggling groups by raiding informal migrant camps and reinforcing law enforcement presence in border areas. After each violent incident, police detained hundreds of migrants and transported them to reception centres such as those in Presevo and Principovac, close to the borders with North Macedonia and Croatia.43 In 2022, the police organized at least six major raids, at which they also seized money and weapons.44

In July 2022, following a raid on gathering points near Subotica, police moved migrants to reception centres.

In July 2022, following a raid on gathering points near Subotica, police moved migrants to reception centres.

Photo: Serbian Interior Ministry

However, this policy does not seem to have resolved the problem. Indeed, it has even created new opportunities for smugglers. The violence continues, and migrants keep coming, determined to cross the border in search of a better life.45

Notes

  1. Videli smo dvojicu kako nose telo ubijenog’ Meštani Trbušnice o ubistvu migranta: ‘Lupali su na vrata jedne kuće, tražili pomoć, pa su na ulici kukali i plakali, Blic, 14 March 2023, https://www.blic.rs/vesti/hronika/mestani-trbusnice-o-ubistvu-migranta-kod-loznice/74d4tk3. ↩

  2. Pronađeno beživotno telo migranta u Loznici, Euronews, 14 March 2023, https://www.euronews.rs/srbija/aktuelno/80977/pronadeno-bezivotno-telo-migranta-u-loznici/vest. ↩

  3. Šumom ponovo odjekuje rafalna pucnjava, Subotica, 26 June 2023, https://www.subotica.com/vesti/sumom-ponovo-odjekuje-rafalna-pucnjava-id47013.html; Građani uznemireni pucnjavom iz šume, policija intervenisala i sprečila sukobe migrantskih grupa, Subotica, 17 June 2023, https://www.subotica.com/vesti/gradjani-uznemireni-pucnjavom-iz-sume-policija-intervenisala-i-sprecila-sukobe-migrantskih-grupa-id46956.html. ↩

  4. Ibid. ↩

  5. U Srbiji prošle godine zbrinuto više od 124.000 migranata, Vlada Republike Srbije, 30 January 2023, https://www.srbija.gov.rs/vest/680832/u-srbiji-prosle-godine-zbrinuto-vise-od-124000-migranata.php. ↩

  6. Tokom 2021. kroz prihvatne i azilne centre prošlo ukupno 68.308 migranata, Komesarijat za izbeglice i migracije Republike Srbije, 13 January 2022, https://kirs.gov.rs/lat/aktuelno/tokom-2021-kroz-prihvatne-i-azilne-centre-proslo-ukupno-68308-migranata/3866. ↩

  7. U Srbiji prošle godine zbrinuto više od 124.000 migranata, Vlada Republike Srbije, 30 January 2023, https://www.srbija.gov.rs/vest/680832/u-srbiji-prosle-godine-zbrinuto-vise-od-124000-migranata.php. ↩

  8. Online interview with a researcher from civil society in Tunisia, 22 November 2022. ↩

  9. Interview with Radoš Đurović, executive director and lawyer at the Asylum Protection Center, Belgrade, 18 November 2022. ↩

  10. Interview with Miroslava Jelačić, a legal expert on migration, Belgrade, 22 November 2022. ↩

  11. Razbijeno 20 kriminalnih grupa krijumčara migranata, Politika, 18 November 2022, https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/525619/Razbijeno-20-kriminalnih-grupa-krijumcara-migranata. ↩

  12. U Srbiji prošle godine zbrinuto više od 124.000 migranata, Vlada Republike Srbije, 30 January 2023, https://www.srbija.gov.rs/vest/680832/u-srbiji-prosle-godine-zbrinuto-vise-od-124000-migranata.php. ↩

  13. Interview with Radoš Đurović, executive director and lawyer at the Asylum Protection Center, Belgrade, 18 November 2022. ↩

  14. Ibid; Interviews with Miroslava Jelačić and Nikola Kovačević, legal experts on migration, Belgrade, 22 November 2022. ↩

  15. Od početka sukoba u Ukrajini kroz Republiku Srbiju je prošlo 148.000 državljana Ukrajine, Komesarijat za izbeglice i migracije Republike Srbije, 24 February 2023, https://kirs.gov.rs/lat/aktuelno/od-pocetka-sukoba-u-ukrajini-kroz-republiku-srbiju-je-proslo-148000-drzavljana-ukrajine/4194; Jovana Krstić and Sonja Gočanin, Uticaj rata u Ukrajini na Srbiju u brojkama, Radio Slobodna Evropa, 2 January 2023, https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/uticaj-rat-ukrajina-srbija-ekonomija-rente-inflacija-ruske-firme/32200432.html. ↩

  16. U prošloj godini u Srbiji razbijeno 28 kriminalnih grupa, zaplenjena 7,1 tona narkotika, Politika, 16 January 2023, https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/532832/kriminalne-grupe-droga-mup. ↩

  17. Razbijeno 20 kriminalnih grupa krijumčara migranata, Politika, 18 November 2022, https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/525619/Razbijeno-20-kriminalnih-grupa-krijumcara-migranata. ↩

  18. Šumom ponovo odjekuje rafalna pucnjava, Subotica, 26 June 2023, https://www.subotica.com/vesti/sumom-ponovo-odjekuje-rafalna-pucnjava-id47013.html. ↩

  19. Sukob migranata u Pirotu, jedan preminuo od povreda, Južne vesti, 24 June 2023, https://www.juznevesti.com/Hronika/Sukob-migranata-u-Pirotu-jedan-preminuo-od-povreda.sr.html. ↩

  20. Pucnjava na granici sa Mađarskom: Sukobile se dve grupe migranata, troje ranjeno, Danas, 17 June 2023, https://www.danas.rs/vesti/drustvo/pucnjava-na-granici-sa-madjarskom-sukobile-se-dve-grupe-migranata-dvoje-povredjenih/; Građani uznemireni pucnjavom iz šume, policija intervenisala i sprečila sukobe migrantskih grupa, Subotica, 17 June 2023, https://www.subotica.com/vesti/gradjani-uznemireni-pucnjavom-iz-sume-policija-intervenisala-i-sprecila-sukobe-migrantskih-grupa-id46956.html. ↩

  21. Obračun dve grupe migranata, jedna osoba izgubila život, Soinfo, 20 May 2023, https://www.soinfo.org/vesti/vest/28963/obracun-dve-grupe-migranata-jedna-osoba-izgubila-zivot/. ↩

  22. ‘Videli smo dvojicu kako nose telo ubijenog’ Meštani Trbušnice o ubistvu migranta: ‘Lupali su na vrata jedne kuće, tražili pomoć, pa su na ulici kukali i plakali, Blic, 14 March 2023, https://www.blic.rs/vesti/hronika/mestani-trbusnice-o-ubistvu-migranta-kod-loznice/74d4tk3; Sukob migranata u Loznici završio tragično: Pronađeno telo muškarca sa tri prostrelne rane na grudima, Pančevac, 14 March 2023, https://www.pancevac-online.rs/256073/sukob-migranata-u-loznici-zavrsio-tragicno-pronadjeno-telo-muskarca-sa-tri-prostrelne-rane-na-grudima-foto/. ↩

  23. Dva ranjena u sukobu migranata u Subotičkoj šumi, Danas, 8 February 2023, https://www.danas.rs/vesti/drustvo/novi-oruzani-sukob-migranata-kod-srpsko-madjarske-granice-ima-povredjenih/. ↩

  24. Srbija i nasilje: Novi oružani obračun migranata u Somboru, ima ranjenih – RTS, BBC na srpskom, 26 January 2023, https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-64420534; Obračun dve grupe migranata u Somboru, dve osobe povređene, RTS, 26 January 2023, https://www.rts.rs/vesti/hronika/5102102/migranti-obracun-pucnjava.html. ↩

  25. Srbija, nasilje i migranti: Snimak naoružanih ljudi u Horgošu, BBC na srpskom, 25 November 2022, https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/srbija-63762968; Ranjen mladić u sukobu migranata u Horgošu, privedeno 829 osoba, u pretragu uključeni helikopteri i dronovi, RTV, 25 November 2022, https://rtv.rs/sr_lat/vojvodina/backa/ranjen-mladic-u-sukobu-migranata-u-horgosu-privedeno-vise-od-600-osoba-u-pretragu-ukljuceni-helikopteri-i-dronovi-(video)_1394063.html. ↩

  26. For video footage of gunshots and armed men, see https://youtu.be/_NfVGfn-HaI. ↩

  27. Mihaela Šljukić Bandović, Bez odgovora ko je iz policije bio umešan u krijumčarenje migranata, Istinomer, 23 July 2022, https://www.istinomer.rs/analize/bez-odgovora-ko-je-iz-policije-bio-umesan-u-krijumcarenje-migranata/. ↩

  28. Interview with an investigative journalist from Serbia, Belgrade, 24 November 2022. ↩

  29. Ibid. ↩

  30. Interview with Miroslava Jelačić, a legal expert on migration from Serbia, Belgrade, 22 November 2022; interview with Radoš Đurović, executive director and lawyer at Asylum Protection Center from Serbia, Belgrade, 18 November 2022; interview with Nikola Kovačević, a legal expert on migration from Serbia, Belgrade, 22 November 2022; interview with an investigative journalist from Serbia, Belgrade, 24 November 2022. ↩

  31. Toma Todorović, Celo preduzeće za autobuski prevoz angažovano u krijumčarenju migranata, Politika, 23 February 2023, https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/539269/Celo-preduzece-za-autobuski-prevoz-angazovano-u-krijumcarenju-migranata. ↩

  32. Skup građana u Horgošu - meštani strahuju, čekaju reakciju nadležnih, Pannon RTV, 25 November 2022, https://pannonrtv.com/rovatok/vesti-na-srpskom/skup-gradana-u-horgosu-mestani-strahuju-cekaju-reakciju-nadleznih. ↩

  33. Ksenija Pavkov, Ispod površine: U mreži, N1, 20 February 2023, https://n1info.rs/video/ispod-povrsine/ispod-povrsine-dokumentarni-film-u-mrezi/. ↩

  34. Issa Ziadia, Immigration through Serbia, the new hope for the youth of Tataouine, Inkyfada, 5 September 2022, https://inkyfada.com/en/2022/09/05/immigration-serbia-new-hope-youth-tataouine/; Stephen Quillen, Tunisia’s migrants face new roadblock in popular smuggling route to Europe, Al-Monitor, 27 January 2023, https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/01/tunisias-migrants-face-new-roadblock-popular-smuggling-route-europe#ixzz7wrjVD9mM. ↩

  35. Interview with an investigative journalist, Belgrade, 24 November 2022. ↩

  36. See https://youtu.be/ZdhUs8QWWGw and https://youtu.be/g6x2dZsk8dE. ↩

  37. These states are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Guinea Bissau, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Suriname and Turkey. Serbia introduced a visa-free regime with countries like Tunisia or India that either did not recognize Kosovo as an independent state or that withdrew recognition, such as Burundi. ↩

  38. European Commission, Fifth report under the visa suspension mechanisms, 6 December 2022, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52022DC0715R(01)&from=EN. ↩

  39. Odluka o ukidanju viza za državljane Islamske Republike Iran, Ambasada Republike Srbije Varšava – Republika Poljska, 22 August 2017, http://www.warsaw.mfa.gov.rs/lat/consularservicestext.php?subaction=showfull&id=1504094176&ucat=117&template=MeniENG&. ↩

  40. Hungarian-Serbian-Austrian migration summit pleads for joint measures, Hungary Today, 4 October 2022, https://hungarytoday.hu/hungarian-serbian-austrian-migration-summit-pleads-for-joint-measures/. ↩

  41. Mladen Lakic, Serbia blames system’s ‘abuse’ for restoring visas for Iranians, Balkan Insight, 11 October 2018, https://balkaninsight.com/2018/10/11/serbia-reinstates-visas-for-iranians-10-11-2018/. ↩

  42. The 2010 Agreement on Mutual Abolition of Visas between Turkey and Serbia was amended in Belgrade on 7 September 2022. See https://www.srbija.gov.rs/vest/en/193654/serbia-turkey-sign-several-cooperation-agreements.php. ↩

  43. U policijskoj akciji pronađeno više stotina migranata, Pannon RTV, 7 February 2022, https://pannonrtv.com/rovatok/vesti-na-srpskom/u-policijskoj-akciji-pronadeno-vise-stotina-migranata; Sofija Bogosavljev, Velika akcija policije u više gradova u Srbiji pronađeno 668 iregularnih migranata, Blic, 15 March 2022, https://www.blic.rs/vesti/hronika/velika-akcija-policije-pronadeno-668-iregularnih-migranata/vccw5z4; Dragan Kostić and Sonja Gočanin, Nova policijska akcija protiv migranata, Radio Slobodna Evropa, 25 November 2022, https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/policija-migranti-srbija/32148889.html. ↩

  44. Načelnik granične policije: Uhapšeni oficir iz Avganistana komandant Badri brigade, imao pratnju, RTS, 30 December 2022, https://www.rts.rs/lat/vesti/drustvo/5073679/nacelnik-granicna-policija-hapsenje-oficir-avganistanska-vojska-migranti-subotica.html. ↩

  45. Migranti se neprestano vraćaju u Horgoš, Pannon RTV, 15 February 2022, https://pannonrtv.com/rovatok/vesti-na-srpskom/migranti-se-neprestano-vracaju-u-horgos. ↩