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Serbia
IDPs from and within Kosovo: 206,000 in Serbia and 21,000 within Kosovo (2007)
- There are 221,000 IDPs in Serbia, 21,000 within Kosovo and 16,000 in Montenegro
- Debate about figures is ongoing
- IDP figures is based on registration but it is estimated that some 20,000 Roma IDPs in Serbia are not registered
- Since no registration of IDPs has taken place in Kosovo, the figure is a UNHCR estimate
- Significant decrease of IDPs in Montenegro further to a 2004 census
- Overall number number of IDP on a slow decrease but not necessarily linked to return
- Less than 7% of IDPs have returned from Serbia and Montenegro to Kosovo
- Among the registered IDPs are 26,600 Roma, but estimates put the actual number of displaced Roma at as high as 50,000-100,000
- Serbs form the predominant group among IDPs (68%) followed by the Roma (12%)
- Belgrade is the district with the largest number of IDPs (53,000) but not all movements of IDPs within Serbia have been registered
UNHCR, 1October 2007:
IDPs in Serbia (excluding Kosovo): 221,000
IDPs within Kosovo: 21,000
IDP in Montenegro: 16,000
However, other organizations indicate different figures. Some claim the actual numbers may be lower while other think they should be much higher as many IDPs, particularly Roma, have not officially registered. Serbian authorities are so far reluctant to organise a new registration exercise of IDPs which would clarify the issue.
UNHCR/Praxis, March 2007, p.35, note 1:
"According to UNHCR statistics, 10,80% of the IDP population are Roma, while Egyptians represent 0.36% and Ashkaeli 0,04% of the IDP population in Serbia. However, there are estimates that another 20,000 predominantly Roma IDPs remained unregistered during the IDP registration organised i Serbia in 2000."
According to the above information, the number of de facto IDPs in Serbia is more likely to be around 241,000
ESI, 7 June 2004:
"While there are no official population figures in Kosovo, both Serbian and Kosovo government data suggest that there are currently around 130,000 Serbs resident in Kosovo. The Belgrade-based Kosovo Coordination Centre (CCK), which is the Serbian administrative body responsible for Kosovo affairs, published a detailed report in January 2003 which gives a figure of 129,474 Serbs in Kosovo in 2002. This corresponds closely with ESI estimates based on primary school enrolment figures from the Kosovo Ministry for Education. There are 14,368 pupils in Serb-language primary schools in Kosovo in 2004. Using data on the age structure of Kosovo Serbs from a number of post-war surveys, this suggests a total Serb population of 128,000.
According to the last Yugoslav census, there were 194,000 Serbs resident in Kosovo in 1991. During the 1980s, the number of Kosovo Serbs had declined. It is unlikely that the number of Serbs increased again during the 1990s. In fact, during the 1990s, the Serbian government felt compelled to introduce various measures aimed at stemming the emigration of Serbs from Kosovo.
The extent of Serb displacement from Kosovo is therefore likely to be around 65,000. Contrary to a widespread perception, two-thirds of the pre-war Kosovo Serb population actually remain in Kosovo. (...) Contrary to another perception, almost two thirds of the present resident Serb population in Kosovo live south of the river Ibar [separating northern majority Serbian Kosovo from South Kosovo]
Contrary to what the ESI report say the Serb population in Kosovo has increased in the 1990s. Between the 1991 census and 1996, some 19.000 Serb refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia have been sent by Milosevic regime to Kosovo. (OSCE, 1 September1999, Part IV, Chapter 19). However, according to UNHCR Belgrade, most of these refugees have either left Kosovo, been resettled or taken citizenship of Serbia. (UNHCR Belgrade, email correspondence, 7 July 2005)
UNHCR's own documents repeat the results of the Serbian government registration exercise. UNHCR, which operates on the territory of Serbia by invitation of the government, has not carried out an independent investigation. In the fine print of some of its documents, however, it expresses serious doubts about the official figures.
"The sum of the estimated number of minorities living in Kosovo, and the number of currently registered IDPs in Serbia and Montenegro, results in a figure significantly higher than the minority population that has ever lived in Kosovo… An undetermined number of minority returnees who have returned to Kosovo, including those who left during the NATO bombings but returned immediately after, never de-registered. Realistically, therefore, much lower numbers than those non-Albanians currently registered as IDPs in Serbia are truly IDPs, or remain IDPs in search of a durable solution, or await voluntary return." (ESI, 7 June 2004, D.1.Return)
"The numbers are disputed. The Kosovo Serb National Council claims that about 100,000 Serbs are still living in Kosovo. By some accounts, up to 25,000 Roma are still living in Kosovo. The sum of Serbs and Roma who reportedly have fled (230,000) and those who reportedly remain (125,000) would be a larger number than the estimated 250,000 Serbs and Roma living in Kosovo before the war, casting doubt on the accuracy either of the past-war count or of the pre-war estimate." (USCR April 2000, pp. 2-3)
ICRC, 31 May 2005, p.5:
"Displacement in Serbia
In February 2005, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that there are currently 208,135 IDPs living in Serbia. According to the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees (CfR) approximately 60,000 IDPs are estimated to be non-Serbs. These minority groups are mostly
Roma, but also include 5,000 Albanians and the CfR estimates as many as thirty-one other ethnicities. Initially, IDPs remained in southern and central Serbia, close to the border with Kosovo, in anticipation of a quick return. In the six years since they were displaced, and as prospects for return have dimmed, however, many IDPs have moved northwards towards central Serbia and Belgrade where they perceive economic opportunities to be greater.
Displacement in Montenegro
On the basis of a census undertaken in September 2004, UNHCR estimates that there are 18,019 IDPs living in Montenegro, and of these, approximately 26% are Roma. The total number of IDPs is significantly reduced from a 2003 figure of 28,493.
The numbers of both refugees and IDPs in Serbia and Montenegro have reduced somewhat since 2003. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including the following:
• Some refugees have opted for Serbian or Montenegrin citizenship.
• A small number (CfR estimates 0.2%) of Kosovo IDPs in Serbia have ‘deregistered’ in Serbia and successfully registered as residents (this was made legally possible in 2002).
• Some IDPs in Montenegro have moved to Serbia, or ‘registered’ themselves in Serbia in order to receive social welfare benefits and to enjoy the marginally greater level of rights available to them there, even if they physically remain in Montenegro.
• A small number of IDPs have received residency in Montenegro (if they were born in Montenegro, were ‘fast-tracked’ for residency because they possess desired skills, or owned property in Montenegro when they were displaced).”
OCHA 26 April 2002, pp. 8-9:
"The Commissariat for Refugees in the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, with direct UNHCR support, maintains records of IDPs through a registration process. An initial registration was completed in August 2000 [6], with updated estimates available as of February 2002. The objective of this process is to maintain a record of IDP numbers, population structure and their needs in displacement.
Number of IDPs in displacement
 | August 2000 | February 2002 |
| Serbia | 187,129 | 201,700 |
| Montenegro | 31,967 | 29,400 |
| FRY Total | 219,096 | 231,100 |
Source: UNHCR Statistics
Serbs are the predominant ethnicity among IDPs (68%), Roma are second (12%), and Montenegrins are third (8%).
Geographic Distribution of IDPs — A majority of IDPs in Serbia are accommodated in Central Serbia (80%). By district, Belgrade has the largest number of IDPs (53,000 — 28%), followed by Raska district (Kraljevo) (28,000 — 15%), Sumadijski district (Kragujevac) (16,000 — 8.5%) and Montenegro (30,000 — 13%). [7] The number of IDPs relative to the UN permanent population is an important indicator of the burden exerted on municipalities where IDPs have settled. The highest concentration of IDPs as a percentage of the permanent population is found in the following municipalities in Serbia and Montenegro:
Percentage of IDPs to domicile population
| Serbia | Kursulija | Kraljevo | Vrnjacka b. | Bujanovac | Mladenovac | Prokuplje |
| % of IDPs | 24.5% | 14.5% | 13% | 9.6% | 8.5% | 8.3% |
| Montenegro | Andrijevica | Berane | Bar | Plav | Budva | Tivat |
| % of IDPs | 17.5% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 8.6% | 8.5% | 7.5% |
Source: UNHCR Statistics
[Footnote 6: Registration of Internally Displaced Persons from Kosovo and Metohija, UNHCR and Commissioner for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia.
[Footnote 7: Although registration is still open, movements of IDPs within Serbia and Montenegro are not recorded. There are strong indications, however, that many IDPs have moved, especially toward urban centres in the last two years. This affects the statistics on geographic distribution.]
UN OCHA, 26 April 2002, p. 22:
"The actual number of Roma IDPs is not clear. The Commissariat for Refugees/UNHCR registered over 20,000 Roma IDPs in Serbia and close to 8,000 in Montenegro. These numbers also include Gorans, Egyptians and Ashkalias, smaller ethnic groups perceived as similar to Roma, who share the same misery in displacement as Roma. Other estimates on the actual number of Roma IDPs range from 50,000 (Commissariat for Refugees of Serbia) to 80,000–100,000 (Roma associations, Serbian Academy of Arts and Science). A majority (13,000) of all registered Roma IDPs in Serbia live in Belgrade, scattered among 150 Roma settlements and some in CCs. Central and southern Serbian municipalities (Pozarevac, Kragujevac, Nis, Bujanovac and Kursumlija) also host a large number of Roma IDPs. In Montenegro, a large number of Roma IDPs are densely settled in Podgorica suburb camps, and in the municipalities Niksic, Bar, Tivat and Berane. The pattern of settling in and around large towns is a part of a tradition and the conviction that the cities offer better opportunities for acquiring income. Therefore, it is safe to assume that a majority of those unregistered Roma IDPs have also settled in larger towns."
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