Author
UNHCR has access to all facilities where applicants are accommodated, namely the Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection in Zagreb and Kutina and the Reception Centre for Foreigners in Ježevo and to Transit Reception Centres for Foreigners in Trilj and Tovarnik.
Since the end of March 2020 and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, access for NGOs to Reception Centre for Applicants of International Protection was restricted; this continued in 2022. Although the measures related to the pandemic were lifted in 2022, civil society organizations were prevented from accessing the Reception Centres, and based on their project with the Ministry of Interior, only the Croatian Red Cross (CRC) and MdM had daily access to the Reception centres.
The CRC staff is present on a daily basis in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection and can refer applicants to the relevant organisations or institutions which can provide information to them.
MdM staff is also present in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection in Zagreb.
In 2022, lawyers of the Croatian Law Centre (CLC) held several information sessions on legal counselling services in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection in Zagreb. Sessions were held within the project “Legal counselling in the procedure for the approval of international protection in 2021”, carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior. For adult interested applicants for international protection legal aid was provided in CLC’s premises.
Contacts with applications were also maintained telephone, email or applicants would come to CLC office when needed.
The Centre for Peace Studies does not have access to Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection in Zagreb and Kutina from September 2018, neither access to Reception Centre for Foreigners from the beginning of 2018, so their activities were provided out of the Centres during 2022.[1]
The Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma reported that their request for continuation of their work in the Reception Centre was denied.[2]
[1] Information provided by the Centre for Peace Studies,18 January 2023.
[2] Information provided by the Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma,18 January 2023.