Balkans struggle with migrant crisis as winter looms

[webfact]

Balkans struggle with migrant crisis as winter looms



BRUSSELS: -- EU and Balkan leaders may have agreed a new plan at the weekend to tackle the refugee crisis but in the meantime the steady flow of migrants continues.

One -hundred-thousand extra spaces in refugee reception centres are to be made available in Balkan countries, but Slovenia which is struggling to cope needs help now. More than 76,000 migrants have arrived in the country from Croatia in the past 10 days.

The UN’s refugee agency the UNHCR has warned that bad weather may cause tragedies… there have already been case of hypothermia among people waiting in the cold.

Antonija Zaniuk of Slovenia Red Cross said the hardest thing to manage at the Brezice refugee camp where she was working was when people became restless and wanted to move on the the next leg of their journey across Europe:

“Short-term the situation is manageable. We have a lot of winter clothing, blankets (for the migrants) to cover themselves with. We are distributing cups of tea, food. So short-term there is no problem.”

Croatia is one of the first countries to prepare for the winter months.
It’s building more substantial shelters at a transit camp on its border with Bosnia at Slavonski Brod which will be able to accept 5,000 people.

But another approach is to persuade refugees to wait in Greece for paid flights to other countries offering asylum rather than risk dangerous winter treks through the Balkans.

The European Commission has also announced €5.9 million in emergency funding for Greece in the wake of the a mini-summit in Brussels which agreed on a 17-point plan to deal with the refugee crisis unfolding in the Balkans.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-10-27

[NeverSure]

Europe is going down the tubes. These people will out breed the traditional Europeans and also just keep arriving. We will never again have a Europe as we've known it.

For those who like to predict a downfall of the US, look across the Atlantic for the downfall that's actually happening. Budgets are stretched and it will get worse. Winter is knocking on the door waiting to create more chaos.

And still the economic opportunists arrive. There isn't going to be economic opportunity for anyone with this massive influx.

I know what. Just build a bunch of big mosques for these people to live in. That will work. Put them all to work building mosques and making burkas and robes and turbans. You sure won't sell them any razors or deodorant.

What an irreversible mess. Europe is finished.

[zzo]

I don't understand why the EU didn't immediately protect their borders. Some say they needed low lever workers, but the French news said in the migrant neighborhoods, there is over 70 % unemployment. The media is not reporting the huge problem with rape in the migrant camps. They are raping their own women! Sweden is ranking a tie with So. Africa for the most rapes per capita, due to the Somali migrants. This was before this summer. Most of the migrants are young men. They push the women and children foreword when the cameras are seen. One Austrian newspaper said that the news is not reporting the rapes, because it would only enrage those against this invasion, wonder why?

[oncearugge]

This is a terrible human disaster resulting from Merkel,'s promise to take all comers.

Merkel will now have to deal with the problem she has imported.

The face of Germany and Western Europe will be changed and the signs of civil unrest grown stronger by the day.

Merkel, has created a monster which will end with large scale violence.

[simple1]

This is a terrible human disaster resulting from Merkel,'s promise to take all comers.

Merkel will now have to deal with the problem she has imported.

The face of Germany and Western Europe will be changed and the signs of civil unrest grown stronger by the day.

Merkel, has created a monster which will end with large scale violence.

Merkel did not promise to "take all comers".

A number of problems are being created by some EU members falling back on right wing nationalistic tendencies, rather than adhering to existing EU agreements for the process of registering & assessing those claiming asylum status. In the past few weeks there have been a number of announcements for tightening up existing gaps in legislation for processing of 'economic refugees' we will have to wait and see the impact of updated legislation in the coming months. In the meantime attacks on refugees / asylum seekers by those affiliated to right wing groups is self defeating.

A step in the right direction would be for States to live up to their commitments for resourcing and funding UNHCR & NGOs in countries bordering and within Syria, Iraq & Afghanistan.

Edited October 27, 2015 by simple1