Updates from the borders, 29. Oct 2015, 2:00am

General note: According to our informations, major changes in transport of refugees are expected within a few days. New winterized camp in Slavonski Brod (Croatia) is being prepared and is due to open on November 2nd. This will most likely mean dismantling Bapska/Berkasovo border crossing, as refugees will be transported via Šid train station.

Follow http://www.refugeemap.com for detailed info.

Dalimil Petrilak (https://www.facebook.com/dalimil.petrilak) will be posting updates in the next few days, please let him know all the key information from the field.

Croatia / Serbia

BERKASOVO/BAPSKA (Serbian side) - There might be new route in the next week - Serbia and Croatia have agreed on providing trains directly from Sid on the serbian side to Slavonski Brod in Croatia. Latest news say this could start on 2nd of November. If this happens, volunteers will be needed a to move the material to Sid train station. Please be ready to help. At this moment number of volunteers here is sufficient (100+ at this moment), some volunteers will continue to Presevo and Dimitrovgrad on Thursday.

Truck and van with material supplies not allowed to enter Serbia today. If you are able to provide gloves, hats, socks, please bring them. Also plastic cups, 5000 pieces.

Contact number +381 649 366 029.

OPATOVAC - At 6 pm there were 277 people in Opatovac. Refugees spend in the camp just few hours, transported to Tovarnik and by train from there. Supplies, especially shoes (size 39-45), socks and children & men jackets needes. Officials say, that the camp might be closed, when Slavonski Brod opens, we will keep you updated.

PRESEVO - Situation calm today. Almost no refugees waiting in the line. Volunteers ran out of food supplies in the early afternoon so money needed. Warm clothes, blankets needed - contact +381 63 88 46 729 for donations and supplies. Volunteers needed to replace the current ones. A lot of people expected according to reports from Greece (5000 crossing Macedonia/Greece borders), so be prepared. Contact number for volunteers +381 642 653 479, please register here, when coming: http://vols.pt/iEXwJa .

DIMITROVGRAD - Refugees: 200-400 per day. Needs: shoes, jackets, gloves, hats, socks. Please contact: Luka: +381 63 831 2993 or Nerissa: +381 642 18 7291 and provide them with your Name and valid ID (with picture) to register you in Belgrade.

BEOGRAD - At "Miksaliste" Volunteers are still needed, despite it's not so sexy as direct field volunteering. Join us distributing clothing, shoes, food and hygienic items and creating a welcoming atmosphere for the stop-over in Belgrade. We're still accepting and also redistributing donations to border points, which requires help in sorting and packing. Find out more and please register at Volunteer Spot http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/4179297180119 to see what is needed there and to sign up for timeslots.

Slovenia / Croatia

DOBOVA/ BREZICE - Trains are now going from Tovarnik (Croatia) directly to Dobova, when refugees changes to Slovenian train which takes them to other locations (Sentilj, Jesenice ...), so they don't need to walk through fields any more. During changing the trains, Adra, Red Cross and No Border kitchen hand out food. Good amount of volunteers there from Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Need of water and packed food for 4-5000 people, also blankets and tents (NOT sleeping bags).

The access to migrants in Brezice is still limited – evetything must be communicated with humanitarian organizations

If you have any funds please relocate here - funds are now more important than many volunteers. Volunteers can register with IHA http://www.iha.help/english.html. Contact coordination number is +386 303 154 59 - please ALWAYS call before you arrive.

DOBOVA 1 (old camp) - bad conditions still reported, refugees fenced without proper shelters, but we don't have any info about volunteer access to site. Please let us know of you have more.

DOBOVA 2 - this is a new camp, still expanding with new big tents. Red Cross is "in command" there, distributing dry food to the refugees. Self-organized volunteers were allowed to enter, helping and talking to people, as long as they "followed the chain of command". Volunteers are more than welcome, since the police and organizations are not efficient.

RIGONCE - will be empty soon, no more refugees should be coming, as trains go to Dobova and Sentilj.

SPIELFELD/SENTILJ - In the Sentilj camp, the situation is under control considering the circumstances. On Austrian side Red Cross and Army organise the welcome camp, heated tents are available - but not enough. Volunteers ARE needed and are swiftly integrated by the Red Cross Einsatzleitung. Right now few more medical doctors would be very much welcome to offer more continuous service. Situation in Sentilj is stabilised, but nervous, a lot of people have to sleep outside, incl. people trapped in no man's land between Sentilj (SLO) and Spielfeld (AT).

In Obenaus we invite volunteers to come for a rest, it's just five minutes away from the border station Spielfeld. They also offer a few places for volunteers to stay over. Contact: +43 680 132 71 77 or +43 680 306 09 00. If coming to Spielfeld, please check out this site: https://www.facebook.com/Border-Crossing-Spielfeld-1631251033802046/

On Slovenian, Slovenska filantropija is providing food and water on the field - contact them if you think you can help.

Follow https://www.facebook.com/FrontaBrezMeja/ for detailed updates about situation in Slovenia during the day.

Other news

- If you have enough time and sources to travel to Lesvos, Greece, where situation is more desperate, do that. Volunteers are saving lives from sea, but many desperate scenes including those refugees, who were not lucky enough and drowned in the sea. Read this volunteering guide to Lesvos: http://bit.ly/lesvolunteer

- There is still possibility to get supplies in Szeged at MigSzol warehouse at Gardonyi utca 6. So if you are on the way via Hungary, you can go and pick up what will be needed. MigSzol unfortunately does not have any cars to drive the supplies down to Serbia/Croatia. Always contact coordinator before approaching Szeged: Szalai Balazs +36 20 229 6669 or Szőke - Toth Agnes +36 304 27 34 60.

- Large amounts of supplies could be picked up also in Zagreb, please call Lejla +385 91 456 77 05 if you are able to bring any supplies from Zagreb to any of the borders.

- Thousands of refugees are reported to be on their way from Greece, so the flow will continue for some time for sure.

- Supplies which are needed almost at all places: warm and/or waterproof clothing (jackets, pullovers), blankets, shoes, hats, gloves, socks, dry and canned food, fruit; food for babies and milk. Generally, anything what could make them at least little bit warm and help them of hunger.

- Also SIM cards for those who has to wait would be great so they can contact their relatives.

- and don't forget to act: http://www.europeact.eu.

Article published first on 29. Oct 2015 in :: pastebin.com/nDWuSvzD.