The Serbian government has said that 451 unaccompanied minors are currently living in the country. The latest figures released show that there are between 3,500 and 4,000 migrants in Serbia.
There are currently 451 migrants under the age of 18 to whom Serbian authorities are giving special attention, said Labor and Social Affairs Minister Zoran Djordjevic. The children are not accompanied by a parent.
Djordjevic was speaking for World Refugee Day on June 20 when he visited a reception center for unaccompanied minors on the outskirts of the Serbian capital.
'We will ensure the best living conditions for them'
''These youths did not come here because they wanted to. It is our duty so long as they are in our country to ensure the best of living conditions for them, hoping that they will have good memories of Serbia in the future,'' the minister said, adding that Serbia is not longer on the main route taken by migrants from the Middle East and Central Asia to the EU. In its place is now Bosnia-Herzegovina, which migrants believe is an easier country through which to reach Western Europe.
According to the latest figures released by the local commissioner's office for refugees, there are currently between 3,500 and 4,00 migrants in Serbia. During the 2015-2016 crisis, Serbia was crossed by over one million migrants along the Balkan route towards Western Europe, with key destinations being Germany, Austria, and Sweden.