Belquis Gonzales works at a butcher shop in a small Serbian town of Lajkovac, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. While most Cuban citizens who wish to emigrate go to the United States or to Spanish-speaking nations, Gonzales and her husband chose Serbia, a rare country in Europe where they didn't need visas. LAJKOVAC, Serbia — Belquis Gonzales and her family enjoy something close to celebrity status in a small town in Serbia, where they live after fleeing Cuba five years ago.
While over a million refugees and migrants have arrived since the big migration wave into Europe in 2015-16, most were only on their way toward wealthy European Union nations further north and west. They are a “very good example of integration," Milenkovski said. “This is one of the greatest success stories that we have here.”
“What I like most about this country is that you see all the seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter," Gonzales said. “We have our friends and we enjoy each other’s company or birthday parties....We get along with everyone,” she said. “Everyone knows that we are ‘the Cubans.’”
With all its troubles, Serbia is still a far better place to live than Cuba, except if you are close to the Cuban government.
We are going to have PLENTY OF POVERTY right here in the good old U.S. if BITE ME stays in office much longer!!