ZMIJANAC: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF 10 THOUSAND REFUGEE CHILDREN

IS A DEFEAT FOR THE SOCIATY

"The disappearance of more than 10,000 refugee children traveling unaccompanied by a

parent in Europe is a devastating fact not only for the democratic system but also for the
security one", said Zmijanac.
SKOPJE (AA) - "The disappearance of more than 10,000 refugee children traveling
unaccompanied by a parent or guardian in the European countries is a devastating fact not
only for the democratic system but also for security one," said in the interview for Anadolu
Agency (AA), Dragi Zmijanac, the executive director of the First Childrens Embassy in the
World "Megjashi" in Skopje, which was founded more than two decades ago, commenting on
the recently released official data of Europol, according to which over 10 thousand refugee
children disappeared after arriving and registering in the European countries as well as the
assumption that around a million refugees over the last year entered Europe, 27 percent of
them were children, i.e. about 270,000.
"Only in the past month 62 thousand, through Greece, entered Macedonia and other Western
European countries of which 60% are mothers and children. What have astounded us was not
only the fact that Europol gave, but how it is possible the criminal structures that are in the
Western European countries could have incorporated in the security system, to be so porous
so that they could kidnap, abducted, to deal with child trafficking, children's organs, sex
tourism, child prostitution, child pornography, illegal adoption, child abuse and their labour
in giant factories in the garment industry, "said Zmijanac, citing the most common types of
abuse of children refugees. He believes the smuggling of refugee children is performed by
well-organized structures that are connected internationally.
"I think these criminal structures are connected to Syria and Iraq from where the refugees
transit, they receive information and exploit the weaknesses of these sufferers fleeing from
the hell of the war," says the Executive Director of the Children's Embassy "Megjashi", Dragi
Zmijanac. He said that the organization he leads as well as other civil organizations dealing
with the current refugee crisis since last year in the media indicated that the international
community had to be mobilized and seriously to approach to this problem in order to avoid
abuse of refugee children.
"Namely we said that children who transit the route through Greece, Macedonia, Serbia,
Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary and further on to other Western European countries, must not
have been allowed to transit without a parent or a closest relative, to appoint on legal grounds
a guardian who would ensure safe transport and transit from the border of entrance to the
border of exit. Did they sufficiently comply with it I have no information, but I know that last

year 9.880 children entered in Macedonia. Probably, the figure in the meantime has increased
and the figure of ten thousand is registered, but certainly there is also a gray figure, because
we already receive information that in Germany 5,000 children have disappeared and been
abducted, the same is in Italy, nobody know where are about five thousand children missing
and abducted, in Sweden one thousand, then you can imagine the situation in the other
Western European countries which where their final destination, "explains Zmijanac, citing
certain countries that have a large number of disappeared children.
-All European countries failed to respond adequately to the refugee crisisIn order to act preventively, said Zmijanac, civil society organizations, including the First
Childrens Embassy in the World "Megjashi" were on the field and insisted the country to
adopt a law on asylum-seekers in order the refugees to be protected and to be ensured the
necessary level of security and humane treatment. Zmijanac underlined that overall, all
European countries succumbed in responding to the refugee crisis.
"Generally, all European countries succumbed to answer. First, how to define whether they
are migrants, whether they are refugees, whether they are sufferers affected by war or
economic migrants and in that confusion and insufficient definition of the problem, they
succumbed almost all of them, because the fugitive has a special status guaranteed by
international conventions where he is provided maximum safety and security, and not only as
refugees but as well as asylum seekers. The fact that the criminal gangs could abduct 10
thousand children is a disgrace and defeat for Europe and the Western European countries
and the first destination, I think most of Greece, since after entering into Greece they are
already in the EU, and therefore all the efforts had to have been made by the Western
European countries to guarantee their safety in entering on the European soil."
Zmijanac also noted that the European countries, although signatories to many conventions
and ratified documents relating to child protection and respect for fundamental human rights,
yet they succumbed and did not consistently obeyed them. He recalls that the European
countries are signatories to many conventions and ratified documents that were to be
consistently respected, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Protocol
against trafficking with children and children's organs and prevent the worst abuses of child
labour. However, added Zmijanac, he hoped that in the meantime the civil sector will push
and mobilize the state institutions to enter into direct contact with the relatives, parents and
friends of the missing children, in order to find them and merge them with their families. "In
that way I think they will manage to pass the examination of humanity, solidarity and the
civil right of every sufferer to be ensured complete safety and security where he/she resides
or transit," said Zmijanac.
-Psychosocial support and assistance, the most important for children refugees"We should not have any prejudice to their sufferings and their trauma. Especially for
children. We believe that the first assistance of psychosocial support is very important to be
given to these children. To encourage them to know that stepping on the European soil they
are ensured their safety and security not only while in transit, but also to their final
destination. I think that a very large role have the international organizations such as the UN
High Commissioner for refugees, the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF and

the civil society organizations" Zmijanac suggested in the interview for AA, stating that the
Republic of Macedonia, i.e. the Civil Sector gives its maximum and put all capacities to help
the refugees.
Among other things, the head of the Children's Embassy "Megjashi", Dragi Zmijanac, states
that since last year they appealed to the international community to set aside more funds for
Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and Serbia so that they could adequately respond to the refugee
crisis because they are the countries that bear the greatest burden in terms of safety and
security of the children, notably their accommodation, registration and transit.
Zmijanac recommends that the childrens destiny must not be calculated and that they can be
helped by finding their parents.
"The childrens destiny must not be calculated. It should not be questioned under any grounds
whether they are migrants, refugees, children fleeing from war or economic migrants.
Simply, children are children, and above all, children must be a priority of every state and
they must be ensured safety and security. They can be helped by finding their missing parents
and the children should not be allowed to travel alone, unaccompanied."
- "Megjashi" will actively work in helping children refugeesThe Childrens Embassy Megjashi make a series of activities that are trying to help the
refugee children. In cooperation with the Forum for Freedom of Education from Croatia, they
prepared the publication "We are all children of this world: how to discuss with the students
about the refugee crisis." The activities of the Children's Embassy Megjashi, besides the
direct involvement in helping refugees, are also the ethical and peace education. "This
publication is an attempt to contribute to the understanding of the difficult situation of
thousands of people who every day pass through Macedonia, close to us and our everyday
lives," said Zmijanac about the publication.
In the interview for AA he informed that two psychologists from the Children's Embassy
"Megjashi" in the next three months will go to the reception refugee camp in Gevgelija once
a week and will work with refugee children about their psychological empowerment of posttraumatic and psychological strengthening of the children so that they can withstand the
efforts to get out stronger, fighting the exodus that they survive.