system in Serbia! +++
undocumented migrants into a country where migrants are stuck for
increasingly longer periods of time. Under the pressure of approaching the
EU membership, Serbia has developed its independent asylum system and
reinforced border controls and deportation mechanism on the border with
Macedonia. It has also obediently cooperated with the EU’s efforts to keep
migrants out of EU — it has signed the readmission agreement with the EU
and developed the cooperation with Frontex, the EU agency for the
management and operational cooperation on the external borders of the EU.
The result of this is the increased repression of migrants in Serbia.
Hundreds of undocumented migrants living in make-shift jungles close to
the Schengen border with Hungary (especially in Subotica) are daily
persecuted by the police and fear violence, arrest, detention and
deportation.
Unfortunately there is a complete lack of migrant solidarity
mobilisations, and a relative lack of a discourse, critical of the
repressive EU policies and their externalisation in Serbia.
That’s why one of the focuses of the ZAF – the Zrenjanin Antifascist
Festival – this year will be the resistance against the border system in
the Serbian context and the critique of the EU migration politics.
The Zrenjanin Antifascist Festival (ZAF) will be held on 5th and 6th of
October in the Cultural Center of Zrenjanin (Zrenjanin, Serbia –
http://zaf.anarhija.org/?q=node/40)
We see ZAF mainly as an opportunity to confirm local and strengthen Balkan
anti-authoritarian relations. Although the festival is largely oriented
towards the Balkans, ZAF is open for all anti-authoritarians interested in
cooperation based on solidarity and mutual aid.
One focus will be the resistance against the border system, this segment
will start on Friday 5th of October with a getting-to-know-each-other
meeting, open for everybody who is interested in getting involved in no
border struggles in Serbia. During the second day of the festival (6th of
October), as a part of the program of ZAF, there will be a discussion
about the EU migration policy in Serbia and the possibilities of
resistance. On Sunday the 7th of October there will be an organizing
meeting in which results of the days before discussion about posibilities
of resistance can be intensified and the planning to put ideas into
practice will proceed.
Apart from that there will be several discussions (http://zaf.anarhija.org/?q=node/49), concerts (http://zaf.anarhija.org/?q=node/52) and an anarchist book fair (http://zaf.anarhija.org/?q=node/38).
If you are interested in attending the festival, or participating in the
program, especially if you need accommodation in Zrenjanin, please let us
know that you are coming in advance. Please note that accomodation places
are very limited, so providing your own sleeping arangements would be
great. Please get in touch with the organizers to consult the options of
accomodation.
If you come by car, it would be great if you could bring blankets,
sleeping bags and other warm stuff that the undocumented migrants, stuck
in Subotica on their way towards the EU, will be in need of, as the colder
months approach!
http://zaf.anarhija.org/