Macedonia shuts border to migrants | The Daily Star
Skip to main content
E-paper বাংলা
T
Latest
Unlike BNP, AL never runs away, PM says at Rajshahi rally ‘Reform banking sector to be a middle-income country by 2031’ Bangladesh to maintain good relations with US, India, China: Momen Japanese mother will have custody of children, rules family court Djokovic's father not courtside for Australian Open final Fugitive in mugging case stopped hiding to avoid murder charges Govt forms branch dedicated to road safety Odisha health minister shot by cop tasked with protecting him Business climate worsened in 2022 due to corruption: CPD survey 8 special trains carry AL activists to Rajshahi rally No Covid-19 death in 24hrs, positivity rate 0.45% Dhaka before daybreak is unprotected, move cautiously: police 18 persons, entities get Posts and Telecommunications Award HSC results to be published February 8 Don’t let our country fall behind again, PM says in Sardah
The Daily Star
Journalism Without Fear or Favour
Sunday, January 29, 2023
  • E-paper
  • বাংলা
Latest
Unlike BNP, AL never runs away, PM says at Rajshahi rally ‘Reform banking sector to be a middle-income country by 2031’ Bangladesh to maintain good relations with US, India, China: Momen Japanese mother will have custody of children, rules family court Djokovic's father not courtside for Australian Open final Fugitive in mugging case stopped hiding to avoid murder charges Govt forms branch dedicated to road safety Odisha health minister shot by cop tasked with protecting him Business climate worsened in 2022 due to corruption: CPD survey 8 special trains carry AL activists to Rajshahi rally No Covid-19 death in 24hrs, positivity rate 0.45% Dhaka before daybreak is unprotected, move cautiously: police 18 persons, entities get Posts and Telecommunications Award HSC results to be published February 8 Don’t let our country fall behind again, PM says in Sardah
The Daily Star
Sunday, January 29, 2023 | Journalism Without Fear or Favour
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Views
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB
বাংলা T
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Views
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
World

Macedonia shuts border to migrants

BBC Online
Wed Mar 9, 2016 07:49 PM Last update on: Wed Mar 9, 2016 07:57 PM
Thousands of migrants are stranded on the Greece-Macedonia border. Photo: AFP FILE

Macedonia has said it will no longer let any migrants through its border with Greece, effectively blocking the Balkan route north.

The decision came after Slovenia barred access to migrants transiting the country. Croatia and Serbia then said they would follow suit.

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

Some 13,000 migrants are now stranded at the Macedonia-Greece border.

The moves come after the EU and Turkey set out a plan to ease Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War Two.

Under the plan, still to be finalised, all migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey would be sent back. For each Syrian returned, a Syrian in Turkey would be resettled in the EU.

Announcing the plan on Monday, European Council President Donald Tusk, had said there would no longer be a path to Europe for migrants. "The days of irregular migration to Europe are over," he said.

Hungary fence

Hundreds of thousands of migrants have travelled through Macedonia over the past year, heading north.

But Macedonia began to limit the numbers, first to Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi migrants, then recently to just a trickle - mainly Syrians from areas it considered conflict zones.

This created a bottleneck, with some 13,000 migrants now living in a sprawling camp at the Idomeni crossing.

Macedonia's announcement came after Slovenia said late on Tuesday that it would allow in only migrants who planned to seek asylum in the country, or those with clear humanitarian needs.

Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar said the country's move meant that "the Balkan route for illegal migration no longer exists".

Serbia then said it would close its borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria to those without valid documents.

"Bearing in mind that the new regime is implemented by a member of the European Union (Slovenia), Serbia cannot afford to become a collection centre for refugees," it said in a statement.

Croatia announced similar measures. Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic said this was a "new phase in resolving the migrant crisis".

Sebastian Kurz, the foreign minister of Austria, which itself has introduced caps on the number of migrants allowed through, welcomed the moves.

He said: "This is putting into effect what is correct, and that is the end of the 'waving through' [of migrants] which attracted so many migrants last year and was the wrong approach."

Hungary has also announced new measures.

Interior Minister Sandor Pinter said he would send more police and soldiers to patrol its southern borders and would make preparations to erect a fence along its border with Romania - if necessary within 10 days.

The BBC's Europe correspondent, Chris Morris, says other countries such as Albania and Bulgaria will be wary of attracting attention as alternative routes for refugees and smugglers alike.

There is also concern, he says, that there could be a renewed flurry of smuggling activity before any proposed deal between the EU and Turkey comes into force.

The closure of the Balkan route had clearly been on the agenda of the EU-Turkey summit on Monday.

A draft summit had declared it closed, although the wording of the final statement was changed after Germany objected.

The main thrust of the EU-Turkey plan is the one-in, one-out proposal for Syrian migrants.

There have already been objections. The UN expressed concern at the plan on Tuesday, while Amnesty International called it a death blow to the right to seek asylum.

Speaking to the BBC, Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, said the proposal to send migrants back would contravene international law.

The deal has not been finalised and talks will continue ahead of an EU meeting on 17-18 March.

What's in the EU-Turkey proposal?

The EU heads said "bold moves" were needed, and made the following proposals:

All new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece will be returned to Turkey. Irregular migrants means all those outside normal transit procedures, ie without documentation.

In exchange for every returned Syrian, one Syrian from Turkey will be resettled in the EU

Plans to ease access to the EU for Turkish citizens will be speeded up, with a view to allowing visa-free travel by June

EU payment of €3bn ($3.3bn; £2.2bn) promised in October will be speeded up, with the possibility of further aid to help Turkey deal with the crisis. Turkey reportedly asked for the sum to be doubled

Preparations will be made for opening new chapters in talks on EU membership for Turkey. 

Related topic
Migrant crisis / Europe migrant crisis / Migrant crackdown in Europe / Aylan Kurdi / Macedonia / Greece / balkan
Apple Google
Click to comment

Comments

Comments Policy

Related News

World

‘Many issues’ in way of EU migrant deal

World

Mother, wife of drowned Salvadoran migrants awaits their repatriation

Trending Socially

New Banksy artwork criticises migrant crisis in France

World

Migrants killed by train on Macedonia railway track

World

Dozens feared dead in migrant shipwreck

The Daily Star  | বাংলা
১ ঘণ্টা আগে|রাজনীতি

‘আ. লীগ কখনো পালায় না, জনগণকে নিয়ে কাজ করে’

আওয়ামী লীগ কখনো পালায় না, জনগণকে নিয়ে কাজ করে বলে মন্তব্য করেছেন আওয়ামী লীগ সভাপতি ও প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা।

২৪ মিনিট আগে|বাংলাদেশ

প্রধানমন্ত্রীর জনসভা: পশ্চিমাঞ্চলে ট্রেন চলছে ১-৩ ঘণ্টা বিলম্বে

The Daily Star
Follow Us
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
© 2023 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI LAB
Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.