Refugees stranded as Croatia closes most Serbia borders
19 Sept 2015 7:13 AM IST
Huge numbers of people surged into Croatia after Hungary erected a <g data-gr-id="27">barbed wire-fence</g> and took other tough measures to stop them from using it as a gateway into Western Europe. Croatia represents a longer and more difficult route into Europe, but those fleeing violence in their homelands had little choice.
Many of the migrants are Syrians and Iraqis fleeing war, who are seeking safety and prosperity in
Germany and elsewhere in Western Europe.
Serbian officials, fearing the closure in Croatia would block thousands of migrants inside the country, protested Zagreb’s move. Aleksandar Vulin, Serbia’s social affairs minister, said Serbia will take Croatia to international courts if the international border crossings remain closed, arguing that it should have been prepared for the influx.
“We will not pay the price of someone else’s incapability,” Vulin said. “I am sorry to see that Croatian humanity and solidarity lasted just two days.”
However, despite the border closures, many continued entering Croatia through cornfields. Women carrying children and people in wheelchairs were among the thousands rushing in the heat in hopes of finding refuge.
One of the more desperate situations was unfolding in the eastern Croatian town of Beli Manastir, near the border with Hungary. Migrants slept on streets, on train tracks and at a local petrol station.
People were scrambling to board local buses, without knowing where they are going.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban says that his country has started building a razor-wire fence along a stretch of its border with Croatia to keep migrants from entering the country there. The migrants would prefer the quicker route to Europe through Hungary, instead of taking the longer route to Western Europe through Slovenia.
Switzerland to take 1,500 migrants
Switzerland said on Friday it would take in 1,500 refugees and migrants over the next two years while strengthening support for Syria peace talks, which Bern called the “priority” for resolving Europe’s humanitarian crisis.
A Federal Council statement said Switzerland would only accept those “who have already been registered in Italy or Greece,” the two countries which have received the overwhelming majority of people who have washed up on Europe’s shores this year. But the federation has not created additional space for migrants, the statement made clear, as these 1,500 people will be deducted from the 3,000 people that Switzerland agreed to accept.
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