25 Jul Serbian Authorities Issue First Travel Document to Refugee

At the end of March 2024, Serbian authorities issued a first travel document to an person with refugee status in Serbia. The recipient of this first travel document is the citizen of Kazakhstan, who holds refugee status within Serbia.

This noteworthy development follows a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in July 2023, which identified a violation of Article 2 § 2 of Protocol No. 4 to the European Convention on Human Rights, that guarantees the right to be free to leave any country. The case stemmed from Serbian authorities’ previous refusal to issue travel documents to refugees. At the time, Serbian authorities clarified that the delay in issuing travel documents was attributed to the absence of necessary subsidiary legislation. 

However, in November 2023, Serbia enacted the requisite regulations, which came into effect on February 1, 2024, clearing the path for the issuance of travel documents to refugees.

This move signals a significant stride towards upholding the rights of refugees within Serbia’s borders and aligning with international standards of refugee protection.

Related news: https://www.rolplatform.org/ecthr-on-refusal-of-serbian-authorities-to-issue-travel-document-for-refugee-in-serbia/