Migrants engage in mass fight in Krnjaca: Army and police had to react to calm the situation

Serbian soldiers; Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

Following information that appeared yesterday in certain media outlets, alleging that a mass fight took place the night before at the Reception Center in Krnjaca, after which migrants attacked security and soldiers, who allegedly used weapons and fired four shots into the air, we asked the Ministry of Defense about the details and information about this incident. The Ministry confirmed that there had been a mass fight involving migrants at the center, as well as that the army and the police had to react.

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"There was a mass fight between migrants at the Asylum Center in Krnjaca last night. Members of the Serbian Armed Forces who are securing the facility, as well as 16 other migrant camps in Serbia, responded in accordance with theirauthorization in order to calm the situation, and soon the police became involved," states a reply we received from the Ministry of Defense.

The Ministry said that order and peace in the camp were restored, and this the situation was the same today. They added that there were no injuries in last night's fight.

"Members of the Serbian Armed Forces continue to carry out their regular task of securing the Center in Krnjaca," the Ministry of Defense added.

24 hours before this incident, a mass fight between migrants occurred in the Reception Center in Obrenovac. The mayor of Obrenovac, Miroslav Cuckovic, said that the fight apparently occurred between migrants who had been staying in the center longer and those that the Serbian Army decided to remove from the streets and place at the center. Cuckovic said there were also allegations of theft of personal items, a conflict related to trying to break out of this area, and assaulting 12 Commissariat employees. He added that the migrants demolished the infirmary and other premises.

According to him, 30 migrants were arrested.

Following the incidents that have taken place over the past two days at the centers in Krnjaca and Obrenovac, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration reacted.

The Commissariat said that migrants in Serbia have been in complete isolation from the outside environment for more than three weeks, and in some centers for more than a month. As they stated, "due to the quarantine they are in, there has been an expected increase of tensions and nervousness in the centers. However, this is neither any reason nor  justification for the violation of the provisions of the state of emergency, which, in a situation of great danger to the health of the population, must be respected by all."

"The Commissariat for Refugees and Migration expects the competent authorities to prosecute all the perpetrators of the disturbance under the law in force in these extraordinary circumstances and declare that they will not tolerate any future violation of the provisions of the state of emergency inside the centers," a statement said.

(M. Brkic)