Statement by Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Refugee Crisis in Europe
UNHCR asks for adequate registration, reception and proper care for refugees and migrants arriving in Hungary
We have met the authorities here in Budapest and have offered UNHCR's assistance to deal with the increasing number of refugees and migrants arriving in Hungary.
We have repeated our call for simplifying and streamlining registration, reception at the collection points, registration centres and reception centres and care for those who come to seek international protection.
Over 150,000 refugees and migrants have crossed into Hungary from Serbia since January this year. A majority of those are from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Some other nationalities include Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and people from Sub-Saharan Africa.
UNHCR expects more people to come during the coming months. The number of arrivals yesterday was over 2,700 people, as the daily average has remained around 2,000 since last month.
We are looking to Hungary to work with UNHCR in partnership to deal with the humanitarian needs of those arriving in the country. Reception standards need to improve for those people who arrive into Hungary every day. There were women and children sleeping in the open last night at Rözske, near the Serbian border.
We call on the Hungarian authorities:
- To improve and streamline the registration process and to allow the humanitarian organizations to provide assistance to the people at the collection points near the border and improve reception conditions for asylum-seekers.
- To implement the recently passed legislation in accordance with the EU and international law.
- To differentiate those in need of international protection from those who are not in need, and therefore which return procedures should be put in place in accordance with human rights standards.
UNHCR is mobilizing relief items, including tents, plastic sheets and thermal blankets, to help those who enter Hungary.
Currently, some 30,000 people in Greece are on the move. Around 3,000 leave Greece for FYR Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary daily. It is very important that Europe continues to provide access to territory to all those who are seeking protection here.
UNHCR expect the trends of arrivals to Greece continue at least till October, as sailing in the Aegean Sea becomes extremely difficult.
Deteriorating conditions inside Syria and neighbouring countries are driving thousands of Syrians to risk everything on perilous journeys to Europe. As the crisis digs deeper into its fifth year with no sign of a political solution in sight, despair is on the rise and hope is in short supply.
The funding appeal to help Syrian refugees in the neighbouring countries is just 37 per cent funded.
Since last year trends have been very clear, as we were trying to convey to the countries in Europe that more refugees will be on the move in wake of dwindling support for them in Syria's neighbourhood. We were not heard and as we see today Europe is unprepared for those arriving to seek international protection in Europe.
We are calling on the EU to take a common approach and bold steps in managing the current refugee crisis better. Countries have to show solidarity with the world's most vulnerable population, who come in search of safety in Europe. No country can be left to deal with the issue single-handedly.
UNHCR would like to thank volunteers, NGOs and police authorities for the efforts made to deal with refugees and migrants with humanity. UNHCR calls on the European states to assist the Hungarian authorities to respond to the emergency situation, and expand the relocation plan for Greece and Italy to Hungary.
News contacts:
- In Budapest, Babar Baloch on mobile +36 30 530 9633
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Vincent Cochetel arrives in Geneva
12 Dec 1998 ... Vincent Cochetel was welcomed by his family, High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata, as well as ... Details of the circumstances of his liberation were not immediately available. Vincent Cochetel ...... -
Ogata renews appeal for release of Vincent Cochetel
23 Jul 1998 ... Friday, 24 July, will mark 6 months since UNHCR staff member Vincent Cochetel was abducted by armed men from his residence in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia. Cochetel, the head of UNHCR's office in the ...... -
Refugees Magazine Issue 114: The Balkans: Rising from the ashes?
1 Mar 1999 ... J ust before Christmas last year, UNHCR staff mem- ber Vincent Cochetel was freed after being held ... S H O R T T A K E S A brief look at world events. 28 I N T E R V I E W A talk with Vincent Cochetel. ...... -
Statement by Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR Europe Bureau Director, on new boat arrival in Italy
2 Jan 2015 ... "The use of larger cargo ships is a new trend, but it is part of an ongoing and worrying situation that can no longer be ignored by European governments. We need urgent European concerted action in ...... -
Item 3 (a) - Regional activities - Statement by Vincent Cochetel, Europe Bureau Director
4 Mar 2015 ... 1 Check against delivery Statement by the Director of the Bureau for Europe, Vincent Cochetel 62 nd session of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee 4 March 2015, Palais des Nations, UNOG ...... -
News Comment from Vincent Cochetel, Director of UNHCR's Europe bureau
23 Mar 2017 ... UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply alarmed at reports of at least two shipwrecks off the Libyan coasts on Thursday. According to NGO sources, five floating corpses of young men have been ...... -
News Comment by Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean Situation, on the first evacuation of refugees from Libya to Niger
11 Nov 2017 ... “I’m pleased to announce that a first group of 25 extremely vulnerable refugees were evacuated today, Saturday 11 November, from Libya to Niger by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Among these 25 ...... -
2020 UNHCR-NGO Consultations on the COVID-19 response
... ... Session 21: Mixed Movement and the COVID-19 Response (7 December 2020) Speakers Mr. Vincent Cochetel, Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean situation (UNHCR) Mr. Roberto Forin, Global Programme ...... -
Ogata condemns violence against aid workers, calls for hostage release
29 Apr 1998 ... release of Vincent Cochetel, a UNHCR staff member kidnapped in Russia three months ago. Her statement came on the occasion of a silent march organized by UNHCR and the Cochetel family, marking the ......