Key findings
Overall, the number of illegal border-crossings by non-regional[1] migrants recorded at the green borders in Q1 2018 was slightly below the values of both Q1 and Q4 2017, in spite of seasonality.
Indications that migrants are searching for alternative routing to bypass the enhanced controls on the main Serbia-centred corridor, continued being observed into Q1 2018:
- Lower pressure reported at Serbia’s northern common borders with Croatia, Hungary and Romania;
- Continued increase in migration pressure along the Albania – Montenegro – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Croatia sub-route and adjacent border sections;
- Increase in the number of migrants trying to transit the borders hidden in means of transport (largely at the Croatian-Serbian border section);
- Increase in the number of non-regional migrants detected for illegal stay within the region; this increase was signalled largely along the emerging sub-route.
The overall pressure at the Greece-former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia remained relatively stable compared to Q4 2017; However, less migrants were observed travelling south across this section.
The irregular flow of citizens of Western Balkan countries decreased and remained largely contained at the southern common borders with Greece.