Tunisia – Following the Serbian government’s decision to require a visa, a number of Tunisians are held involuntarily at the Belgrade Airport.
The former Tunisian deputy and leader of the Democratic Current Party, Majdi Al -Karbai, confirmed that a large number of Tunisians reach 60 people who were forcibly detained at the airport, although they have fulfilled all legal procedures.
A number of Tunisian prisoners had started a violent hunger strike on Monday, according to a statement made by Al-Karbai to Shams FM Radio. He also stated that “they were the Tunisians expressed their reluctance to disrespect them and deal harshly with them by the Serbian security forces.” After being taunted and assaulted, several of these were compelled to sign the decision to deport him to Turkey.
“The former deputy criticised the Tunisian authorities’ handling of the case and their failure to adequately address what he called a sensitive matter.
Al-Karbai questioned why the Serbian ambassador to Tunisia had not been summoned to discuss the situation and release the inmates.
Tunisia faces an increase in irregular immigration operations not only across the Mediterranean, but also by going to Serbia from entering across the Eastern European borders into the European Union space.
As part of its new strategy to curb illegal migration along the “Balkan Road,” Belgrade has decided to require entry visas for inhabitants of Tunisia and Burundi, according to Serbian and Swiss press sources.
The “Abadhama” website had published an investigation last September, as a number of Tunisians had chosen to immigrate through Serbia to reach Europe because it is the least expensive and safest option. However, the investigation revealed that immigrants were being blackmailed, particularly by smugglers.
Last September, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights confirmed the arrival of more than 13,000 Tunisians to the Italian coast since the beginning of this year, including more than 2,600 children.
The group identified 507 immigrants who perished by drowning off the coast of Tunisia after failing to cross the Mediterranean.
The problem of unauthorised immigration has been worse recently, particularly in the wake of the 2011 Tunisian Revolution and the security incidents in Libya that made border control systems weak.
In addition to African migrants heading to Europe, the Tunisian coast has developed become a major crossing location.
The death of a young mother and her four-year-old son due to the sinking of the boat carrying them along with seven other migrants on an unauthorised journey rocked Tunisian public opinion in late August, and the southern city of Gerges experienced congestion after a boat carrying 18 people, including women and children, perished.
In the face of a crippling economic and financial crisis, Tunisian adolescents are living in a state of hopelessness and risking their lives to cross Eastern European borders in search of a better life.
Numerous Tunisians are being detained by Serbia in the airport in Belgrade.
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