Refugees and Migrants at the Balkans Route Regional Overview October-December 2023

Data and Trend Analysis (DATA) Refugees and Migrants at the Western Balkans Route Regional Overview October-December 2023 describes key trends in migrations in the region, detailing information about the number of people on the move, demography (age, sex, country of origin, etc.), behavioural patterns, and routes in use – with a focus on children, particularly unaccompanied children.

Key trends showcased in this report:

• Cold months lead to decreased numbers of refugees and migrants compared to the summer. When comparing the number of registered refugees and migrants over the same quarter in 2022 and 2023, an increase can be noted in the EU countries – Greece, Romania and Croatia. In the other seven countries, fewer people were registered compared to 2022.
• The situation in Greece is indicative of the whole route since this is most often the first country of entry to Europe and the Balkans. Refugees and migrants use Croatia, Romania and Hungary to leave the region and continue their travel towards their countries of destination.