The House of Human Rights and Democracy Belgrade and the House of Human Rights Zagreb call on the governments of Serbia and Croatia to urgently lift all measures restricting the free movement of people and goods, establish normal communication and resolve all problems through talks. We also call on all governments in Southeast and Eastern Europe to urgently establish cooperation and daily communication in order to jointly help refugees.
Relations between Serbia and Croatia are still burdened by unresolved issues from the past and the legacy of the war. Instead of solving these problems, state governments create new ones, behaving irresponsibly and immaturely, while also causing enormous material damage. At the same time, part of the media uses the situation to incite hatred and incite new conflicts. Governments and other institutions in the region would have to stop accusing each other, applying unilateral measures at the borders and using harsh words against neighboring countries and governments.
Human rights houses from Belgrade and Zagreb remind the governments of Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and other countries of Southeast and Eastern Europe that they are obliged to apply their regulations in accordance with the highest standards of human rights and ratified international conventions. The protection of human rights, including the rights of refugees, represents the fundamental value of every society and cannot be the subject of calculations or use for daily political purposes. The European Union is agreeing on measures to help refugees from Syria and other war-torn countries. Regardless of all efforts, the countries of the region must accept and provide assistance to all refugees, no matter how many there are, and allow them freedom of movement and further departure to Western Europe.
In an extraordinary situation, caused above all by the war in Syria, it is unacceptable that refugees are treated as illegal immigrants and that the regulations of the European Union and its member states are applied, which are completely inappropriate for this refugee crisis. Europe, as a community of values and ideas, but also every country on the continent, can be harmed far more by barbed wire, fences, and armed police and soldiers at the borders than by several hundred thousand refugees fleeing one of the most horrific and cruel wars fought in recent decades.
Human Rights House Zagreb: BaBe – Be Active. Be Emancipated.; Center for Peace Studies; Documenta – Center for Dealing with the Past; Civic Committee for Human Rights; Association for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities; Association for the Protection and Promotion of Mental Health SVITANJE
House of Human Rights and Democracy Belgrade: Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights - YUCOM; Belgrade Center for Human Rights; Civic initiatives; Center for Practical Politics; Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
