30th of August 2017: President of Caritas Germany dr Peter Neher and President of Caritas Serbia Msgr. Stanislav Hocevar had a meeting with the Minister of Work, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs in the Government of Serbia Zoran Đorđević. The minister expressed his gratitude to Caritas for the selfless assistance provided to vulnerable groups in Serbia and during the refugee crisis.

“We appreciate your collaboration on the common projects and our wish is to further improve it. Serbia appreciates the overall assistance of the Federal Republic of Germany and the assistance that Germany is providing to Serbia on it’s path towards the EU integration. The cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany is strategically important to us, which is shown also by the regular meetings of the officials on the highest level“, pointed out minister Đorđević.

Minister pointed out that there is space for upgrading the cooperation on common projects in improving conditions in institutions of social welfare, which take care of elderly and children with disabilities. He announced that the Ministry is ready to suggest a series of projects, for the benefit of those who need help the most.

The president of Caritas Germany Peter Neher commended the human and responsible policy that the Government of Serbia has towards the refugee crisis.

“Serbia has proven to be an example of humanity in this area“, pointed out dr Neher, adding that Caritas Germany will continue to provide support to Caritas Serbia, therefore also to the official institutions of the Republic of Serbia, in the areas of assistance to elderly and children with disabilities.

The president of Caritas Serbia Archbishop Stanislav Hočevar pointed out that Caritas Serbia has a great collaboration with all institutions of the Republic of Serbia and that there is a readiness and will to upgrade this collaboration.

President of Caritas Germany dr Peter Neher, together with Claudio Moser, responsible for the department of Latin America and Europe and Tobias Noelke, coordinator of assistance to refugees and migrants in Serbia, Greece and Turkey, visited the Asylum center Krnjaca in Belgrade on the 30th of August 2017. Mr. Matthias Schikorski, second secretary of the German Embassy in Belgrade, responsible for political issues, also joined the visit.

The participants were able to visit the Caritas activities in this centre, through the work of the laundry service, animation and educational workshops for children and adults, distribution of humanitarian aid and psycho-social support. During the visit the Caritas staff and refugees continued their work in renovating the barracks in this centre, mainly through an action of painting, which is ongoing for the past two weeks.

The members of the delegation also had a chance to meet the representatives of the camp management, who expressed their gratitude with the cooperation established with Caritas and with the representatives of the refugees, who shared their life experiences.

President of Caritas Germany Dr Peter Neher, accompanied by Claudio Moser, responsible for the department of Latin America and Europe and Tobias Noelke, coordinator of assistance to refugees and migrants in Serbia, Greece and Turkey, visited the Refugee center Presevo on the 28th of August 2017.

The representatives of Caritas in Serbia, headed by the director Rev. Ivica Damjanovic, presented the work of Caritas in assisting refugees and migrants in Serbia and the staff members from Presevo presented the concrete activities of Caritas in the camp (food and tea distribution, laundry service, psycho-social support and animation activities). It was especially interesting the meeting with the children, for which Caritas organizes educational and animation activities every day.

On this occasion the representatives of the Ministry of work, employment, veteran and social issues and the Commissariat for refugees and migrations showed the center and activities within it, expressing gratitude for the cooperation and support that Caritas has been providing to this center for two years already.

The visit was also an occasion to talk to refugees themselves about their difficulties, hopes and expectations.

The program ended with the visit to “Tradicija juga“ a social enterprise in Vranje, which employs women victims of violence, who have been preparing the food for refugees for more than a year, within the Caritas program of assistance to refugees in the centers Presevo, Bujanovac and Vranje.

Caritas organized a painting action in the Asylum center Krnjaca – Belgrade, to which a great number of refugees and migrants decided to participate, especially young men, in order to improve common living contiditions. 

This action was supported by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the project Humanitarian assistance for refugees in Serbia 2017-2018.