12.06.99

SECURITY SITUATION

After the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces started, first NATO troops entered Kosovo territory. Invasion without fight in Kosovo began from Macedonia and will continue from Albania but also from Serbia, where yesterday 50 Russian vehicles unexpectedly were deployed.

According to the Ministry of Interior (MVR), in the last 24 hours, 125 refugees entered Macedonia. Also 70 illegal bordcrossers have been registered. The total number of refugees in Macedonia now is 271.173, while 154.374 of them have the status of humanitarian cared people. Most of refugees, 52.350 are settled in Skopje, then 41.976 in Tetovo, 21.170 in Gostivar, 13.402 in Kumanovo, 9.577 in Kichevo, 9.341 in Debar and 3.949 in Struga. 96.729 refugees have been settled in camps. The number of refugees in camps is following: in camp Cegrane - 40.210, in Stenkovec 1 and 2 - 36.633 refugees, in Neprosteno - 7.444, in Senokos - 6.866, in Bojane - 3.501 and in Radusa - 2.019 refugees.

According the daily newspaper Nova Makedonija, in the borderland Tabanovce, 100 refugees were registered how they were returning back to Serbia on foot, by own cars or by taxies and valid documents. Most of them were form region of Presevo and Bujanovac.

 

CAMPS

According the daily newspaper Nova Makedonija, refugees from the camp Stenkovec still don’t think for returning back to Kosovo, because they don’t know what they gonna see and find there. They are saying that how they will be back when there nobody is expecting them - relatives either were killed or gone to third countries and also their houses are destroyed. For that reason a lot of them wants to go to third countries. But there are refugees who are resolute to go back to their homes.

 

SUPPORT

Ministry of internal affairs these days is working hardly on preparing a plan for participation of Macedonian police on the process of returning back refugees to Kosovo. The plan should be ready until Monday, when the details will be announced. Even that Macedonian government has an strong attitude, that all refugees must go back to Kosovo, when the conditions for that will be fulfilled, UNHCR is not excluding the possibility, a part of refugees, who don’t wasn’t to go back and who don’t want to go to third countries to stay in Macedonia. In UNHCR are saying that it depends on Macedonain government how many refugees will remain in Macedonia.

The special envoy of UN for Albania and former Yugoslavia, Denis McNamara, in yesterday’s press conference said that in the first 24 hours after the entrance of NATO troops in Kosovo, UNHCR will send a convey with humanitarian aid. At most 7 days later, UNHCR will be present in all the territory of Kosovo. He also said that returning of refugees would start when it will be safe for them. In the next three months about a half of 800.00 refugees that now are in Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro will be returned.

According to the daily newspaper Fakti, organization "International Medical Corps", starting from June 1, is doing free medical services for refugees from Kosovo settled in Struga. This organization also has a hospital in camp Stenkovec 1.