Hungarians distribute food, water to refugees trapped in Serbia

JULY 15, 2015 BY Benjamin Novak, The Budapest Beacon

Hundreds of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Sudan are encamped at an abandoned brick factory in northern Serbia. Many have traveled for weeks (even months) on foot with limited access to clean drinking water and food, only to find their entry to the European Union blocked.

On Tuesday, Budapest Beacon senior correspondent Benjamin Novak accompanied the director of a Budapest-based charity to the brick factory. There he met other Hungarian nationals determined to do what they can to help those less fortunate.

1. Hungarian border police apprehend refugees near Röszke, Hungary.

2. Tibor Varga and Tibor Nagy. The two Hungarians living in Serbia run an NGO which distributes aid to several hundred refugees who have set up camp in an abandoned brickworks factory in the outskirts of Subotica, Serbia.

3. Tibor Varga and Tibor Nagy preparing a delivery of donated water and food to the brickworks factory outside Subotica, Serbia.

4. Refugees have limited access to running water, but use it to wash their clothing and bathe. This picture was taken across the road from the abandoned brickworks.

5. Tibor Nagy walking toward main building in the abandoned brickworks yard.

6. Another abandoned building in the brickworks yard. Trash everywhere.

7. Side of the main brickworks building. A narrow ladder leads to the attic.

8. Two refugees walking in grounds of abandoned brick factory.

9. The attic serves as shelter for some. Arabic has been scrawled on the pipe running through the middle of the attic.

10. Some refugees are fortunate enough to have tents. Others sleep on the ground. The building serves as an additional shelter against harsh weather. It is cool inside the building.

11. Refugee asleep in the attic of the abandoned brick factory.

12. The grounds of the abandoned brickyard near Subotica, Serbia.

13. Room used as makeshift latrine by refugees.

14. Section of smaller building in ruins.

15. Abandoned office.

16. Refugee resting under canopy in brickyard. Many refugees have set up camp in the woods just beyond.

17. Trash everywhere.

18. Two refugees walking together in the abandoned brickyard outside Subotica, Serbia.

19. Foodstuffs and personal hygiene products being distributed by a Budapest-based foundation.

20. Among the refugees are a number of children.

21. Tibor Varga’s van delivers bread and baked goods donated by local Serbian bakeries to refugees.

22. On the Hungarian side of the border, Hungarian military vehicles assemble to build the government’s controversial 175-km fence along the border with Serbia.

23. “Construction area, Unauthorized access forbidden!”