SERBIA/CROATIA/SLOVENIA 27/10/2015 Tuesday 23:15 update

SERBIA/CROATIA/SLOVENIA 27/10/2015 Tuesday 23:15 evening update

EUROPE, PLEASE ACT! - An Open Letter to the Governments of Europe from Volunteers - http://www.europeact.eu

50+ groups of volunteers across the Europe connected to common call to action. Please read it, share it and urge your government to act now! #europeact

Thank all of you who already urged your government to act. Desperate pictures are flowing from the region and your voice is needed to be heard!

Dalimil Petrilak (https://www.facebook.com/dalimil.petrilak) will be posting updates in the next few days, please let him know all the key information from the field.

General note: Situation in Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia changing rapidly these days - new trains to Sentilj and Dobova. Also Frontex is planning to come to border in Šid (Serbia), we will see what happens.

CROATIA/SERBIA
===============

BERKASOVO/BAPSKA (Serbian side) - There might be new route in the next week - Serbia and Croatia have agreed on providing trains directly from Sid on the serbian side to Slavonski Brod in Croatia. Latest news say this could start on 2nd of November. If this happens, volunteers will be needed a lot to move the material to Sid train station. Please be ready to help.
Fluent flow of refugees during the day and night, Croatians are receiving the people quite fluently. Usually not more than 700 people at once. Similar situation expected tonight. Hygienic conditions deteriorating, but volunteers trying to improve this. Crowd control  is difficult in peak times. Small tents and sleeping bags not neccessary now. Czech team stable, slowly preparing to the big change next week. Trying to find a place in Sid to wash and reuse the blankets. Accomodation nearby but can provide shelter for max 20 volunteers. Please bring your own tent, headlight and high-visibility jacket. Contact number +381 649 366 029.

BAPSKA (Croatian side) - No volunteers or tents on Croatian side, but situation quite calm. Refugees transported fluently by buses to Opatovac, no crisis.

OPATOVAC -Refugees spend in the camp just few hours, transported to Tovarnik and by train from there. Further boarding trains at Tovarnik continues, and also buses from Opatovac went to Slovenian borders. Volunteer help needed in Opatovac, and supplies, especially shoes (size 39-45), socks and children & men jackets. Officials say, that the camp might be closed, when Slavonski Brod opens, we will keep you updated.

PRESEVO - Situation calm today. NGO´s only inside the camp, but not in the queue. There is cold out there, especially during the night. Food, also warm clothes, blankets, tents needed. Volunteers needed to replace the current ones. MSF on the spot but more doctors would be appreciated to provide 24/7 assistance. A lot of people expected according to reports from Greece, so be prepared. Contact number +381 642 653 479, please register here, when coming: http://vols.pt/iEXwJa

DIMITROVGRAD - We call for volunteers to help in Dimitrovgrad. Refugees: 400 per day, many UNACCOMPANIED children among them, usually Afghans, some of them have to sleep outside. Needs: shoes, jackets, gloves, hats, socks. VOLUNTEERS: only three volunteers who are leaving tomorrow. Please contact: Luka: +381 63 831 2993 or Nerissa: +381 642 18 7291 and provide them with your Name and valid ID (with picture). You need to be registered in advance to Belgrade, but police cooperative on site. They will take care of your registration. Also there is very cheap accommodation available: 5 euros per day. This place is also used as coordination center to plan for activities at camp.

BEOGRAD - At "Miksaliste" Volunteers are still needed! Join us distributing clothing, shoes, food and hygienic items and creating a welcoming atmosphere for the stop-over in Belgrade. We're still accepting and also redistributing donations to border points, which requires help in sorting and packing. Find out more and please register at Volunteer Spot http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/4179297180119 to see what is needed there and to sign up for timeslots.

SLOVENIA/CROATIA
=================

First of all - situation in Slovenia is changing every hour, so what you read in this update during the night might not be the reality in the morning :-)

DOBOVA/ BREZICE - Big news: Trains are now going from Tovarnik (Croatia) directly to Dobova, some of them even straight to Sentilj/Spielfeld. Trains coming to Dobova will be at midnight, 03:00 and 06:00. 5-6 doctors on site, more would be appreciated. Good amount of volunteers there from Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Need of water and packed food for 4-5000 people, also blankets and tents (NOT sleeping bags). If you have any funds please relocate here - funds are now more important than many volunteers. Police brought police dogs and used pepper spray. Buses not very often, but situation not extreme. Volunteers can register with IHA  http://www.iha.help/english.html.  Paypal account is begin prepared for donations. Contact coordination number is +386 303 154 59 - please ALWAYS call before you arrive.

RIGONCE - will be empty soon, no more refugees should be coming, as trains go to Dobova and Sentilj. Do not come here anymore.

SPIELFELD/SENTILJ - The Slovenia/Austria border crossing at Spielfeld is now the main entry to Austria. Red Cross and Army organise the welcome camp, heated tents are available - but not enough. Volunteers ARE needed and are swiftly integrated by the Red Cross Einsatzleitung. Right now few more medical doctors would be very much welcome to offer more continuous service. Situation in Sentilj is stabilised, but nervous, a lot of people have to sleep outside. In Obenaus we invite volunteers to come for a rest, it's just five minutes away from the border station Spielfeld. They also offer a few places for volunteers to stay over. Contact: +436801327177 or +436803060900. If coming to Spielfeld, please check out this site: https://www.facebook.com/Border-Crossing-Spielfeld-1631251033802046/

OTHER NEWS
=================

- There is still possibility to get supplies in Szeged at MigSzol warehouse at Gárdonyi utca 6.  So if you are on the way via Hungary, you can go and pick up what will be needed. MigSzol unfortunately does not have any cars to drive the supplies down to Serbia/Croatia. Always contact coordinator before approaching Szeged: Szalai Balázs +36 20 229 6669 or Szőke - Tóth Ágnes +36 304 27 34 60.

- Large amounts of supplies could be picked up also in Zagreb, please call Lejla +385 91 456 77 05  if you are able to bring any supplies from Zagreb to any of the borders.

- Thousands of refugees are reported to be on their way from Greece, so the flow will continue for some time for sure.

- Do you have enough time and sources to travel to Lesvos, Greece, where situation is more desperate (volunteers NEEDED!)? Read this volunteering guide to Lesvos: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KBPNoW1fNvDdmmzCyc3yMBBGJ5V21s-EP0yxQY4K990/edit

- Supplies which are needed almost at all places: warm and/or waterproof clothing (jackets, pullovers), blankets, shoes, hats, gloves, socks, dry and canned food, fruit; food for babies and milk. Generally, anything what could make them at least little bit warm and help them of hunger.

- Also SIM cards for those who has to wait would be great so they can contact their relatives.

- Be prepared, that individual volunteers could have problems accessing refugees to provide help. Please always try to communicate UNHRC, Red Cross and/or police on the site before providing help, however, they may not be welcoming your there, so be polite and patient and don't get refused. This is the common approach of Red Cross at many places, and eventually it was always possible to find a common way. Problems are reported in communication with Slovenian police, help is easier on Croatian side of the border.

- Supplies and money donations are also being collected in the Social Centre Rog (Trubarjeva 72, Ljubljana) and in Maribor (at the parking lot in front of the railway station, where they set up a container.)

- and don't forget to act: http://www.europeact.eu