REFUGEES BICYCLE TO A NEW LIFE
Macedonian trade gets a lift
MACEDONIA – Fleeing their trouble-torn countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, streams of European Union-bound migrants are driving an unexpected trade in a quiet town in Macedonia – bicycles.
Thousands have arrived in Demir Kapija, a few kilometres from the Greek border, after journeys by foot, train and boat.
But in this picturesque town it is bicycles they seek for the next leg.
The migrants aim to head north across the small, landlocked Balkan state into neighbouring Serbia and finally into an EU country, where they hope to build better lives.
In Macedonia, the authorities ban migrants from using public transport but they tolerate walking and cycling – which has seen the price of two-wheelers quickly double in this town of about 3 500 people.
Walid Amoud, a geography professor from Damascus, looked over dozens of bicycles – new and old lined up outside a small shop in the centre of Demir Kapija before negotiating to buy one for 125 euros (about R1 600).
“’I m travelling with my four daughters, my son and a fivemonth-old baby,” he said.
The family ’ s dream destination is Germany, which they believe is their best chance for a new start.
Like Amoud, the vast majority of migrants arriving in Macedonia are Syrian, but some hail from Afghanistan or restive African states.
While Greece is part of the EU, its grave economic crisis has prompted the migrants to try their luck elsewhere.
“We fled death to die on the road. Our situation is getting worse every day, ” said 37-year-old Bara, an English language professor from Homs in western Syria, travelling with her four daughters.
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The price of bikes ranges from 120 to 200 euros (between R1 400 and R2 500) and acquiring one spares migrants the other option walking across the country.
On Macedonia ’ s main north-south road, groups of several dozen migrants cycle up the Vardar valley, bearing meagre backpacks with all their belongings.
The route is long and dangerous: in late April, 14 migrants from Somalia and Afghanistan died when
– they were hit by a passenger train while sitting too close to the tracks.
Once they reach the town of Kumanovo in northern Macedonia, migrants sell their bikes for at most 50 euros (about R600) – now an unnecessary burden since crossing into Serbia is done secretly in operations negotiated by smugglers.
While authorities tend to turn a blind eye to the cyclists and pedestrians, interior ministry spokesman Ivo Kotevski said they were target- ing the smugglers since they “earn a lot of money from illegal immigrants ”.
With the massive flow of people trying to reach Europe, the number entering Hungary shot up from 2 000 in 2012 to 54 000 this year so far, with 95% of them arriving from Serbia, according to official figures.
Macedonia ’ s parliament is due to vote next week on a law that would enable migrants to use public transport legally. –