Summary and analysis of pushbacks and internal violence documented by BVMN during the month of MAY
In June, the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) shared 32 testimonies of pushbacks impacting 680 people-on-the-move (POM) across the Balkans and Greece. This report brings together first-hand testimonies from a range of countries in the region to look at the way European Union states and other actors are affecting systemic violence towards people crossing borders.
BVMN is a network of watchdog organisations active in Greece and the Western Balkans including No Name Kitchen, Rigardu, Are You Syrious, Mobile InfoTeam, Push-back Alarm Austria, Josoor, InfoKolpa, Centre for Peace Studies, BlindSpots, Mare Liberum, and Collective Aid. Combining insights from these different members, this month’s report covers:
- “Triangle-pushbacks” between Romania, Serbia, and Hungary
- Allegations of Croatian police officers entering Bosnian territory while perpetrating pushbacks
- Indiscriminate violence against people-on-the-move and a lack of accountability in the Evros region of Greece
Read the full report for more information on these topics, as well as further updates from the region including a protest statement against the nomination of Tatjana Bobnar as a candidate for Minister of Interior Affairs and an increase in people-on-the-move transiting through Piazza Libertà in Trieste.