44 Persons who express intent to seek asylum tend to stay in the territory of the Republic of Serbia between several days and several weeks, until they make arrangements to cross the national border of the Republic of Serbia. Through the reports on compliance with the recommendations, the NPM has identified certain improvements in the treatment of migrants/asylum-seekers in the Republic of Serbia. First of all, in accordance with the relevant recommendations, an Asylum Office has been formed and staffed with much more employees than the formed Asylum Department. The Ministry of Interior has stepped up its efforts to identify and register foreign nationals found in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. The Commissariat for Refugees and Migration has ended the practice of issuing certificates of temporary absence to asylum-seekers. Also, as from September 2014, duty police officers have been present at asylum centres on a daily basis and have been reporting regularly to the Border Police Administration on the remaining available beds at the asylum centres. The Border Police Administration forwards this information to police stations, which then refer persons who expressed intent to seek asylum to those asylum centres where beds are available. The asylum centres have increased their intake capacities by about 760 persons in total. However, notwithstanding these improvements, there are still certain shortcomings, both in terms of Serbia’s national security and in terms of respect for the rights of asylum-seekers/ migrants. First of all, the competent authorities the Republic of Serbia have not adequately established direct and effective control of foreign nationals in the process of migration through the territory of the Republic of Serbia, so that some of the foreigners found in the country remain invisible to the system, while some of them leave Serbia before the asylum application procedure has even been initiated. As regards the provision of information on the rights and obligations of foreign nationals found in Serbia during their stay in the country, the Ministry of Interior has still not prepared brochures on the rights and obligations of those persons in languages they understand. Communication between foreigners found in Serbia and police officers is mostly conducted in English, with the occasional involvement of interpreters for Arabic, Turkish and English123. Certain shortcomings have been identified in the medical examinations performed at the asylum centres, ranging from incomplete examination at some asylum centres124, through unavailability of any form of medical examination125 to examinations that are performed only on certain days during a week 126. The Shelter for Foreigners127 offers no medical examination upon admission at all; instead, examinations are performed only when the Shelter staff determines that a foreign national has visible injuries or health issues. Migrants punished for misdemeanours are not allowed phone calls to their country of origin order to inform a person of their choice of their incarceration and certain prisons notify the diplomatic and consular missions of the person’s country of origin of their incarceration without his/her consent. General recommendations for remedying the identified shortcomings The system for managing migrations should be improved by providing comprehensive and consistent application of the existing standards in the field of asylum and migrations. It is necessary to improve effective implementation of the asylum procedure, from registration of foreign nationals who wish to seek asylum in the Republic of Serbia, through issuing of identity cards, filing of asylum applications and hearings to passing of decisions to grant/deny asylum. Reports of visits the Police Administration of Vranje, No. 71 –46/14, and the Police Administration of Subotica No. 71–67/14. 124 Report of Visit to the Asylum Centre in Sjenica, No. 71–62/14. 125 Reports of Visits to the Asylum Centre in Tutin, No. 71–61/14, and ЦА in Sjenica, No. 71–62/14. 126 Reports of visits to the Asylum Centre in Banja Koviljača No. 71 –52/14; the Asylum Centre in Bogovađa, No. 71 – 90/14; and the Asylum Centre in Krnjača, No. 71 – 85/14. 127 Report of Visit to the Shelter for Foreigners No. 71 – 84/14. 123