Europeans shut borders, block bridges, to halt migrant surge

[Lite Beer]

Europeans shut borders, block bridges, to halt migrant surge
DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press
DUSAN STOJANOVIC, Associated Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Thousands of migrants were trapped Friday in a vicious tug-of-war as bickering European governments shut border crossings, blocked bridges and erected new barbed-wire fences in a bid to stem the wave of humanity fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

Asylum-seekers who fled westward after being beaten back by tear gas and water cannon on the Hungarian-Serbian border just days earlier found themselves being returned to Serbia, where their ordeal began, after Croatia declared it could not handle the influx.

The EU's failure to find a unified response to the crisis left this tiny Balkan nation, one of the poorest in the European Union, squeezed between the blockades thrown up by Hungary and Slovenia and the unending flood of people flowing north from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

With more than 17,089 migrants arriving in just three days, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic declared that his nation of 4.2 million could no longer cope and the asylum-seekers could not stay.

"What else can we do?" Milanovic said at a news conference. "You are welcome in Croatia and you can pass through Croatia. But go on. Not because we don't like you, but because this is not your final destination."

"Croatia has shown it has a heart," he said. "We also need to show we have a brain."

Across eastern Europe, barriers to the migrants' passage were thrown up as nations tried to shift the burden of handling the influx onto their neighbors, leaving asylum-seekers ever more desperate and confused.

Croatia declared itself overwhelmed and began busing migrants to Hungary and closing its border crossings with Serbia. Slovenia halted rail service to Croatia and was sending migrants back there, while Hungary began building yet another razor-wire border fence, this time on its border with Croatia.

Caught in the middle of this high-stakes game of hot potato were the masses of miserable men, women and children who have found their way to the wealthier European nations they wish to settle in blocked at every turn.

"We are seeing the result of haphazard policies," said Maurizio Albahari, a social anthropologist at the University of Notre Dame and author of "Crimes of Peace: Mediterranean Migrations at the World's Deadliest Border."

"The situation is largely due to the lack of a coordinated approach toward the reception of these displaced persons."

Most migrants don't want to stay in Croatia — only one woman with children has requested asylum, the country's foreign minister said. Instead, they are trying to reach Western European countries like Germany that have said they are welcome.

While Croatia is happy to let people pass through, Hungary and Slovenia say allowing the migrants to cross their borders would violate European Union rules.

Croatia is part of the EU but not a party to the Schengen treaty, which allows people to travel freely between 26 European countries without showing their passports. Slovenia and Hungary are treaty members and say they are protecting Europe's borders.

Events in the Balkans have underscored the failures of the EU's common asylum policy, which calls for a "joint approach to guarantee high standards of protection for refugees."

Though the EU says "asylum must not be a lottery," scenes from Croatia on Friday showed it isn't working out that way.

"The emergency is being actively reproduced by the refusal to acknowledge the reality on the ground. Migrants and refugees have a goal in mind — to reach Germany, France, the Netherlands, Britain, Sweden and so forth," Albahari said.

"Many have gone through political violence, exploitation by smugglers, and the peril of crossing the Mediterranean. Fences are not only proving futile: They are actively contributing to exasperation and to needless, additional suffering for families and vulnerable persons."

The finger-pointing among leaders has become vicious. Croatia and Hungary bickered into the night, with Croatia saying the two countries had agreed to create a corridor for the migrants and the Hungarian Foreign Ministry calling that a "pure lie."

Hungary's foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, called the Croatian prime minister's handing of the migrant crisis "pathetic."

"Hypocrisy rules in Europe today. No one is saying honestly how big a challenge this is," Szijjarto told the MTI news agency. "This will not end soon."

It is also causing tremendous strain on relations between neighbors in a region with a volatile past. Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia are all products of the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Even before the latest crisis, many efforts to restore normalcy have been hard won.

In a sign of the discord, Hungarian authorities seized a Croatian train carrying 1,000 migrants as it crossed into Hungary, accusing its neighbor of failing to coordinate the transport. The train's conductor was taken into custody and 40 Croatian police officers escorting it were disarmed, said homeland security adviser Gyorgy Bakondi.

Hungary denied assertions by Croatian officials that the transport had been coordinated by the two governments. "These people were coming toward the border without prior consultation, without respecting official channels," government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said.

The U.N. refugee agency warned the crisis was being worsened by the contradictory national policies.

"The crisis is growing and being pushed from one country to another," said Adrian Edwards of UNHCR. "You aren't going to solve these problems by closing borders."

The human misery was evident in Croatian towns like Beli Manastir, near the border with Hungary. Migrants slept on streets, on train tracks and at a local gas station. People scrambled to board local buses without knowing where they were going.

Hundreds of others were stranded Friday on a large Danube River bridge in the Serbian town of Bezdan after Croatian authorities closed all but one border crossing. A large truck lifted barriers onto the bridge. The group, which included many women and children, stood in a no-man's land in the middle in the scorching heat for hours with little water or food.

Finally Serbian authorities began busing them 120 kilometers (75 miles) to the south, near the Serbian town of Sid, so they could enter Croatia illegally through unguarded cornfields.

Elsewhere, 19 Croatian buses carried migrants across the border to Beremend, Hungary, where they were put on Hungarian buses for transportation to registration centers. Croatia also put some 800 on trains to Hungary.

UNHCR says more than 442,440 people have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe this year and 2,921 have died trying. The International Organization for Migration puts those figures at 473,887 and 2,812.

The Vatican, meanwhile, took one Syrian refugee family in the tiny Roman Catholic city-state, as promised by Pope Francis. The family belongs to the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, an Eastern rite church, and is waiting on an asylum application decision from Italy.

___

Stojanovic reported from Batina, Croatia. Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia; Vanessa Gera and Pablo Gorondi in Budapest, Hungary, contributed to this story.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-19

[ezzra]

Too little too late, they should have come up with a strategy and plan well before this uncontrolled mass migration has started to take shape, shy should have seen it coming when 10 of thousands of these illegal migrants, that what they really are, and illegal migrants looking to better their life at the expense of others, most of with pockets full of cash willing to pay to settle in rich European countries, now those countries that has shut their borders look heartless and ignorant to the ' plight' of those poor people, little the world knows that if those migrants will be settled in Europe or Scandinavian countries, millions others will be on the march tomorrow with no stopping them, it will never end...

[shirtless]

They should be in their homeland , fighting for freedom, if western societies adopted this mentality the world would have changed for the worst after ww2. They are economic migrants not refugees.

[steven100]

EU exposes migrant lies. 4 out of 5 migrants are not from Syria. Full story http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3240010/Number-refugees-arriving-Europe-soars-

[NongKhaiKid]

This was a mess until Merkel and Junker issued their ' everyone welcome ' message and now Europe is a powder keg. They deserve the utmost condemnation but it will never happen and EU leaders are still demanding countries open their borders and stand back.

I read on the Internet a couple of days ago that migrants in Denmark were offered resettlement but declined because they want to go to Sweden as the benefits there are better. Now that's a story that the completely biased and irresponsible BBC will never broadcast.

[simple1]

They should be in their homeland , fighting for freedom, if western societies adopted this mentality the world would have changed for the worst after ww2. They are economic migrants not refugees.

If your talking about Syrians exactly who would provide training, weapons and logistical support? Currently if they don't wish to fight for mass murderers (Assad regime or Islamist groups) they're reliant on the US training camps in Jordan that have proved to be an utter failure - where to next?

[jalansanitwong]

Europe has enough problems of its own without bankrolling hundreds of thousands of refugees.

Where are these refugees coming from ? Are they all from Syria???

Has the horrible Syrian regime emptied out its prisons and dumped its worst criminals in the refugee camps.? Fidel Castro did just that during the Mariel boat lift of Cuban refugees to Miami,Florida in 1980.

What about ISIS ? How many ISIS scumbags have mingled in with the refugees and are getting free passage to Germany and England?

Saudi Arabia and UAE wont take any of them even though theyre very rich ,have plenty of land and are basically the same culture.

Go to Europe where you are welcomed by kind generous ,ignorant Christian folks and can put your entire family on welfare and free housing.

[baboon]

Do these migrants not consider that all the barriers placed in their way might be indicative of something?

[maoro2013]

Time the rest of the world dealt with the issue of why all these so called migrants are leaving their homelands.

[z42]

Better late than never.. I feel genuine sympathy for the ones who are genuine. But of the mass of people its so hard to tell. Europe is going to rue the last month or so because now it can't turn these people back because they won't be turned back without a fight.

After the last few days scenes I doubt there will be as many warm welcome grins waiting, and why should there be. What exactly are these people supposed to be able to offer en mass to the countries they're invading resettling in

[gandalf12]

Do these migrants not consider that all the barriers placed in their way might be indicative of something?

Yes they do but if you borrow someones child and the child is crying you can bet the press will go on about how terrible everyone is being treated. Thy play the sympathy card everytime

[Friendly Stranger]

Well Europe, could you have planned this any worse? I don't even blame the migrants, as they've been told to come. Now, this ugliness.

It sounds like, certain countries were calling the shots without coordination from others. I understand the smaller countries' dilemma too, so let Germany take in everyone.

Is there not a deadline in which these countries will no longer allow migrants to enter?

Edited September 19, 2015 by Friendly Stranger

[whatproblem]

Turn them all back with a message to go fight for their country

[Credo]

They need to stopped from getting to Europe, and I don't mean the European part of Turkey. Once they reach the continental mainland, there are too many laws to prevent them being easily returned.

That solution, of course, is easier said than done.

[micmichd]

They should be in their homeland , fighting for freedom, if western societies adopted this mentality the world would have changed for the worst after ww2. They are economic migrants not refugees.

Freedom from what, and freedom for what?

[likewise]

would we be welcome in their countries in case of opposite scenario ? I guess we know the answer to that ! Just sayin'

Edited September 19, 2015 by likewise

[soomak]

They should be in their homeland , fighting for freedom, if western societies adopted this mentality the world would have changed for the worst after ww2. They are economic migrants not refugees.

Those coming from Syria and Iraq are mostly refugees, as the fighting in those countries is going on for years.

Saw the figure of 250K people who died in Syria since the civil war started in 2011. Millions others are either displaced, live in ISIS controlled areas, or have their home damaged. If I lived there, I would certainly try to escape.

Still doesn't mean that Europe has to take them in, and if I lived in Hungary or Slovania, I would certainly oppose to taking them in.

What's the solution? there doeesn't seem to be a good one here...

[soomak]

Europe has enough problems of its own without bankrolling hundreds of thousands of refugees.

Where are these refugees coming from ? Are they all from Syria???

Has the horrible Syrian regime emptied out its prisons and dumped its worst criminals in the refugee camps.? Fidel Castro did just that during the Mariel boat lift of Cuban refugees to Miami,Florida in 1980.

What about ISIS ? How many ISIS scumbags have mingled in with the refugees and are getting free passage to Germany and England?

Saudi Arabia and UAE wont take any of them even though theyre very rich ,have plenty of land and are basically the same culture.

Go to Europe where you are welcomed by kind generous ,ignorant Christian folks and can put your entire family on welfare and free housing.

AFAIK some are from Syria, some from Iraq, and some from African countries.

Saudi Arabia indeed should take many of them.

UAE? its a small country (group of countries actually), and its already full of foreginers there.

BTW Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey have taken up millions already. Egypt has taken a few as well.

But there are (were) 56 million people in Iraq and Syria combined, so no place for all of them, no matter what you do.

Edited September 19, 2015 by soomak

[otherstuff1957]

A solution? Europe doesn't even seem to have a plan for coming up with a solution!

Merkel says "800,000 will be welcome every year." After 1/8th or so of that number show up she shuts the doors and says "we cannot manage this, you all must help".

The Dublin Treaty says that the first county refugees come to must keep them, which would mean that the migrants would end up staying in some of the poorest parts of Europe (Spain w/22% unemployment & Greece with a collapsing economy). Now some countries are trying to follow the rules and others are not.

The various navies and coast guards are intercepting migrant ships and then, instead of taking them back to where they came from, they take them to Europe! They should just dock in Libya and take over the people smuggler's business!

Europe must come up with a comprehensive, unified approach to this issue and all countries must stick to it. Right now the various EU governments are acting like a typical Thai school's Admin Dept., with no clue and an unrealistic plan!

[Friendly Stranger]

Do these migrants not consider that all the barriers placed in their way might be indicative of something?

Yes they do but if you borrow someones child and the child is crying you can bet the press will go on about how terrible everyone is being treated. Thy play the sympathy card everytime

True. Though, what the kids have to go through is unimaginable, but giving that guy a job with a team is purely out of the movies.

BTW, what job did they give him, fluffer?

[Ulic]

Merkel has already thrown out the welcome matt. May as well ferry them straight through to

her with all possible haste. 10-20-30 thousand a day. Pick them up with busses and shuttle them

through. Charge the migrants for the buss they have money and will be happy to pay. Hungary's

problem solved.

[Toany]

Germany said they are welcome. That is all that people remember. The UK said they will take 120,000 over 5 years. The promise of living in a wealthy European county is all that is needed to make millions make their way to a promised better life. Europe cannot possibly take in all the people who want to live a better life. They have made a big mistake to promises they cannot fulfill. They have created the problems they now have, themselves.

[micmichd]

Germany should provide a transit for refugees then. Maybe something like the transit West Germans once had to use on their way to West Berlin through the G.D.R.

[hugh2121]

Time the rest of the world dealt with the issue of why all these so called migrants are leaving their homelands.

It's happening because outsiders interfered in the middle east in the first place.

[MockingJay]

It's about time, but perhaps too late. I believe the German Oktoberfest will ignite civil war in Europe...

Let's take a look behind the wall of lies mass media has built:

Edited September 19, 2015 by MockingJay

[Dustdevil]

Time the rest of the world dealt with the issue of why all these so called migrants are leaving their homelands.

It's happening because outsiders interfered in the middle east in the first place.

The outsiders stirred them up but the outsiders are not responsible for the Arab and Iranian world's sectarian and tribal hatreds, general incompetence, corruption. The west merely learned that only iron-fisted dictatorships can keep the barbarians in line.

[micmichd]

Germany should provide a transit for refugees then. Maybe something like the transit West Germans once had to use on their way to West Berlin through the G.D.R.

[Dustdevil]

It's about time, but perhaps too late. I believe the German Oktoberfest will ignite civil war in Europe...

Let's take a look behind the wall of lies mass media has built:

You should never believe anything on that Russian TV news channel. Even when it shows some truth in images, they always slant everything. It's worse than the old Soviet news.

[Dustdevil]

This was a mess until Merkel and Junker issued their ' everyone welcome ' message and now Europe is a powder keg. They deserve the utmost condemnation but it will never happen and EU leaders are still demanding countries open their borders and stand back.

I read on the Internet a couple of days ago that migrants in Denmark were offered resettlement but declined because they want to go to Sweden as the benefits there are better. Now that's a story that the completely biased and irresponsible BBC will never broadcast.

Hear, hear. And the Brits have to pay a $240 annual TV tax to fund BBC. That's the only reason BBC is able to compete with CNN in terms of reach and size.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Dustdevil

[arfurcrown]

This invasion of Europe the subsequent occupation has to be checked and halted. The destruction of European culture, lifestyles, economies and individual freedoms,the choice of religious beliefs and sexual preferences will be the victims if this invasion is allowed to continue.

Now we are seeing the first mutterings of discontent and possible actions are being seen to come for the old Slavonic states region.

That region had experienced the delights of a Muslim occupation and the interpretation of the words of the Prophet by the more rabid less well educated and civilised followers of the Prophet a few centuries back.

They, the old Slavonic peoples saw their peoples enslaved, tortured and murdered, women and young girls turned into breeding machines so as to reinforce the gene pool, pedophilia was the pastime of many of the faithful in their distorted beliefs.

Then came our old friend, Europe's savior, ''Vlad the Impaler'' better known as Dracula.

How his deeds and name have been distorted over the centuries to hide that which in realty he actually did. His actions led to the overthrow of the occupiers they were treated to the same barbaric actions that they practiced and it worked

Europe was saved and the Slavonic states were liberated.

Perhaps a new updated Vlad the Impaler, Dracula is emerging and we will see that character rising from the ashes in the current Slavonic region.

This invasion must be halted or all is lost, European culture lifestyles will be but a memory that will be erased from memory by the Imans and their blind to the truth P.C. fiends friends.

Wake up Europe before it is too late and you are being warned and if you don't act you will be swallowed in to the quicksand of religious intolerance and insanity.