WUNRN
SERBIA - ASTRA STATEMENT FOR
EU ANTI TRAFFICKING DAY
Link to Full 484-Page Report -
Trafficking in Serbia 2000-2010:
Press Release by Serbia NGO
ASTRA
October 18 – European Anti
Trafficking Day
On the occasion of October 18 – European Anti Trafficking Day, ASTRA
– Anti Trafficking Action, as an NGO which has been providing direct
assistance and support to trafficking victims for ten years, wishes to remind
citizens of Serbia that although many activities have been carried out in the
last few years, primarily aimed at public awareness raising and although it
could be often heard that legal and institutional frameworks for victim
assistance and protection have been significantly improved, a little has
actually changed for trafficking victims in Serbia compared with several years
ago.
For many years, ASTRA has been warning about problems in the
reintegration and social inclusion of trafficking victims. Serbia did not have a shelter for urgent accommodation
of victims for a long time, while specialized shelter for trafficked children
still does not exist, although children take a substantial share among
identified victims in the Republic
of Serbia. The social
protection system has broad competences in providing care for trafficked
children, but it is also an important actor with regard to adult victims, too;
still, it lacks capacities – both human and financial – to put these
competences in operation. Also, a document that would define the procedures for
work with trafficking victims, from the moment of identification until the end
of reintegration, with indicators for identification of victims as its integral
part has not been defined yet; this also applies to minimum standards in the
process of the provision of assistance. For this reason, it is not possible to
carry out a quality monitoring of work of different actors which provide direct
assistance to trafficking victims.
Trafficking in human beings in Serbia is still seen solely in the
context of sexual exploitation, neglecting all other forms. Although an
increasing number of labor exploitation cases is registered every year, where
our citizens are exploited in construction sites in foreign countries, support
and assistance programs for them do not exit and the assessment of workers’
security when they return to Serbia
is never done. Preventive activities aimed at reducing recruitment for labor
exploitation are not carried out, while the National Employment Service and
competent Ministry of Economy and Regional Development do not see a need to
take more active part in anti-trafficking activities. Trade unions are also not
involved in preventive activities aimed at stopping labor exploitation.
Although the police as a rule collect many statements from workers and on that
basis file criminal reports, the number of indictments for human trafficking
for labor exploitation is negligible.
As far as the prosecution of perpetrators is concerned, trials are
still too lengthy, exposing victims to secondary victimization and preventing
them from leaving traumatic experience behind and regaining control over their
lives. Namely, they are expected to appear in court sessions, face their
exploiters over and over again and make a statement that would be vital evidence
for the prosecution. In addition to the fact that their security is not ensured
in a systemic way, victims are also exposed to humiliating and degrading
treatment not only by defense counsel, but also by judges and prosecutors.
Although human trafficking is treated as a form of organized crime everywhere
in the world, for several years in Serbia no operative treatment has
been initiated which the Prosecutor for Organized Crime would qualify as a
human trafficking offence committed by an organized criminal group. The
discovering of cases of organized criminal groups which sell and exploit our
citizens in foreign countries is neglected, but the emphasis is on internal
trafficking. Although this is highly profitable crime, until today no
trafficker had to face permanent confiscation of criminal assets, while no
victim won compensation through a final and enforceable judgment.
Efficient tackling of human trafficking is one of the conditions on
Serbia’s
path to EU membership. Although it is a strong incentive for building a
mechanism that would help victims to successfully recover and return to
society, it seems that many activities and measures are taken in order to
“reach” certain standards only formally, without essential regard to the
quality and efficiency of their implementation in practice. It also seems that
EU membership and positive reports by foreign governments are in the focus of
anti trafficking in Serbia,
and not the wellbeing of persons who were exposed to the worst imaginable
exploitation and torture for months and even year in the human trafficking
chain. At the same time, professionals with excellent results in combating
human trafficking – in prosecutor’s office, police, media – are faced with
marginalization in their work places and even with charges pressed against them
by suspected or convicted traffickers, in which situation they do not have any
support from the state. Insufficient attention is paid to taking care about
professionals and motivating them to stay, but persons without experience are
appointed on key positions for providing support. Serbia still does not have a
budget line for combating human trafficking, but it relies on ad hoc
allocations and donations from international organizations, which in this way
become the owners of anti-trafficking in Serbia.
Only by affirming committed professionals and creating a
sustainable HR policy, by passing all necessary bylaws and by forming a budget
line for victim assistance the government will show genuine will to efficiently
combat trafficking in human beings.
ASTRA believes that the establishment of an independent and
efficient mechanism for continuous data collection and analysis and for
reporting on human trafficking, which exists in many European countries, would
contribute to the enhancement of the national referral mechanism in Serbia. The institute of National Rapporteur as an independent
body would enable qualitative and quantitative information on the spread of
human trafficking and trends, as well as on criminal investigation and
prosecution of perpetrators, the analyses of undertaken measures and prevention
activities, the quality of identification and assistance and protection to
victims. On that basis, National Rapporteur would be able to formulate
recommendations to the government for the improvement of anti-trafficking
policy and practice.
Serbian Translation - Contact: astranet@sezampro.rs