November 22, 2013
„Clandestino“ campaign in the village of Bogovađa near Lajkovac!
See how it looked like in the village of Bogovađa near Lajkovac, when people seeking refuge in our country received necessary help, thanks to readers and employees of Color Press Group, as well as companies which showed their good will.
November 19, 2013 – In cooperation with the Commissariat for Refugees and Migrations of the Republic of Serbia, Color Press Group launched a campaign dubbed „Clandestino“ (Spanish: hidden, covert), a month ago, with the aim of helping threatened asylum seekers, who, fleeing from war or poverty in their countries, found their temporary shelter in Serbia.
Today, necessary food and clothing arrived at the centre in Bogovađa village near Lajkovac, thanks to readers and employees of Color Press Group, as well as all the companies which showed good will towards people seeking refuge in our country, such as „Miss Yu“ (clothing), „Telenor“ (clothes), „Carnex“ (pates), „Illy company“ (pasta), „Green market“ (apples and potatoes), „Obuća Metro“ (footwear) and sweets industry (4,800 wellness snacks)...
Due to overcrowded accomodation in Koviljaca Spa, centre in Bogovađa has been temporarily opened. The centre has 170 accomodation units, which is too small for the number of unfortunate people, whose number is constantly growing. The most of them come from Syria and Somalia, but there are also others from different countries: Eritrea, Algeria, Mali, Ethiopia... Those who are accomodated in the very centre are learning the language, visit workshops and socialise, while those who are outside the centre, accomodated in abandoned weekend houses and forests, are in constant need of food and cover from cold and precipitation.
They come to pick up their meal in the centre, once a day. It has been very good fortune that winter so far has been very mild. Jelena Maric, spokesperson of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migrations, says that all the people come with sad and heartbreaking stories, leaving the past behind them and in search of a better life, and that Serbia is only the transitional country where they usually spend less than a month. „I appeal to people not to be xenophobic, but first of all humane, and not to allow a bad image to leak into the world, because the majority of these unfortunate people are only in transit and they will not 'steal' a job from anybody here!,“ Jelena Maric said. Ivan Gerinov, assistant to the Commissary for Refugees and Migrations, who also followed the campaign of Color Press Group, said that there is no need for fear or panic among the residents of Bogovađa, who were prone to that, and pointed out that the immigrants are not trying to make things harder and that they will not cause trouble for anyone and that they are only hoping to enter some of the EU countries.
Color Press Group is the first private company which showed this kind of initiative. „I hope that other companies will follow, because this is the right way to show the real and prettier face of our country, which has always been prepared to help people in trouble!,“ Gerginov said.
The faces of asylum seekers are blurred in the pictures, in accordance with the law on the protection of their identity.
![](http://www.svet.rs/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/261-610x405.jpg)
November 18, 2013
The first phase of „Clandestino“ campaign, started by Color Press Group with its partners in order to help centres for the accomodation of asylum seekers in Serbia, has been completed today. All the collected aid is being carried to centres in Bogovađa and Koviljača Spa tomorrow. The following companies are listed among the donors: Color Press Group, employees and readers (clothes), „Miss YU“, employees (clothes), „Telenor“, employees (clothes), „Carnex“ (pates), „Illy Company“ (pasta 500 x 0.5 kg), „Green market“ (apples and potatoes, 100 kg), „Obuca Metro“ (169 pairs of shoes), sweets industry, 4,800 wellness snacks.