German Chancellor criticises closure of Balkans route for migrants

[webfact]

German Chancellor criticises closure of Balkans route for migrants
By Seamus Kearney



BERLIN: -- The closure of the Balkans route for migrants heading for Europe has been criticised by the German Chancellor, who describes it as “unsustainable”.

Macedonian officials have closed the border with Greece, while Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia have also imposed tough restrictions.

Austria is another country that earlier imposed limits.

Angela Merkel says nations should not act individually but collectively, so Greece is not left to deal with the huge numbers of migrants blocked in its territory.

But Austria, for example, argues a clear message needs to be sent to stop more migrants from coming.

Negotiations continue over a complex EU-Turkey plan whereby Ankara would take back migrants in exchange for the EU resettling an equal number of Syrian refugees from Turkey.
But human rights groups and the UN have warned that may breach international law, and now a Turkish minister says the deal would not cover migrants already in Greece but only new arrivals after any agreement is signed.

There is now a bottleneck of more than 15,000 migrants along the Greek-Macedonian border.



One migrant, Nidal from Syria, told reporters: “I’m sick of this, so tired and bored of this, just waiting for nothing.

“I wait and wait and wait, and then there is nothing. I know that there is nothing at the end but I am waiting.”

There is rising concern about the plight of the migrants at, including hundreds of children, in cold and wet conditions.

Christian Reynders from Doctors Without Borders said: “We fear that the number of children suffering from these conditions, these particular conditions, the humidity, the smoke inhalation, it will cause them severe damage to their lungs.”

And still thousands of migrants keep arriving.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-03-11

[NongKhaiKid]

Angie please do us all a favour and shut it.

You and that other great humanitarian Juncker made a bad problem a million times worse in an effort to look good and now you are struggling to stop looking bad so lash out at everyone else for not helping.

Nations should not act individually she said.

Oh really, did she think like that when she welcomed migrants to Germany without any thought of the countries they would invade to get there ?

[Sydebolle]

What Dr. Angela Merkel thinks as a private individual is her private opinion and not to be voiced through government speakers.

What she should speak is what the majority of the German people (I'm not German) want and, as in Germany nobody asks the electorate the government, once in power, can essentially do and forget about what they want.

I wonder what the German voters would voice as THEIR opinion - which is what the chancellor should voice; and nothing else which remains her private opinion. Being entitled to that but misuse communication power.

All those news broadcasts over the last few months are full of all those poor refugees without passports but functioning smart phones (they had to get registered once I assume). Separate the real refugees from the asylum chancers and the illegal immigrants - that is what Europe can and will handle.

[NongKhaiKid]

What Dr. Angela Merkel thinks as a private individual is her private opinion and not to be voiced through government speakers.

What she should speak is what the majority of the German people (I'm not German) want and, as in Germany nobody asks the electorate the government, once in power, can essentially do and forget about what they want.

I wonder what the German voters would voice as THEIR opinion - which is what the chancellor should voice; and nothing else which remains her private opinion. Being entitled to that but misuse communication power.

All those news broadcasts over the last few months are full of all those poor refugees without passports but functioning smart phones (they had to get registered once I assume). Separate the real refugees from the asylum chancers and the illegal immigrants - that is what Europe can and will handle.

Over the last few days I've seen interviews with people mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan looking to enter Europe for a ' better life ' and not once have they been closely questioned only spoon fed sympathy lines and NOT ONCE has the phrase ' economic migrant ' been used by the reporters.

The sob story bandwagon rolls on.

[razer]

I am sure she privately feels elated because it could bail her a## out of the mess she created.

If I didn't have a personal interest in Germany I'd say make a corridor strait from Greece to Germany.

Being just plain stupid does have consequences.

[Hayduke]

Wait a minute...These 'immigrants ' have been invited to Germany by Ms. Merkel.

Why is she not arranging for their safe and comfortable journey?

Why is she forcing her guests to endure the unspeakable horrors of overland travel through unsympathetic countries?

Why does she expect the rest of Europe to pay for the party?

She should arrange for welcoming assembly points in Turkey, Greece, and Italy (a trillion or so Euros should get things underway), guarantee to accept everyone who shows up, and provide free air transport (to their city of choice in Germany) for the lot.

She really needs to be more hospitable.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Hayduke

[MockingJay]

If one person deserves to be fatally struck by a lightning, it's traitor Merkel. I'll throw a big party and buy some expensive bubbly the very day she dies.

[billd766]

Wait a minute...These 'immigrants ' have been invited to Germany by Ms. Merkel.

Why is she not arranging for their safe and comfortable journey?

Why is she forcing her guests to endure the unspeakable horrors of overland travel through unsympathetic countries?

Why does she expect the rest of Europe to pay for the party?

She should arrange for welcoming assembly points in Turkey, Greece, and Italy (a trillion or so Euros should get things underway), guarantee to accept everyone who shows up, and provide free air transport (to their city of choice in Germany) for the lot.

She really needs to be more hospitable.

Make that a trillion or so German Euro s to be billed directly to the German government and not to the other EU countries. Publish it and see how the German people really feel about it.

[Ulic]

What Dr. Angela Merkel thinks as a private individual is her private opinion and not to be voiced through government speakers.

What she should speak is what the majority of the German people (I'm not German) want and, as in Germany nobody asks the electorate the government, once in power, can essentially do and forget about what they want.

I wonder what the German voters would voice as THEIR opinion - which is what the chancellor should voice; and nothing else which remains her private opinion. Being entitled to that but misuse communication power.

All those news broadcasts over the last few months are full of all those poor refugees without passports but functioning smart phones (they had to get registered once I assume). Separate the real refugees from the asylum chancers and the illegal immigrants - that is what Europe can and will handle.

Over the last few days I've seen interviews with people mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan looking to enter Europe for a ' better life ' and not once have they been closely questioned only spoon fed sympathy lines and NOT ONCE has the phrase ' economic migrant ' been used by the reporters.

The sob story bandwagon rolls on.

The migrants have been well schooled. Talk about, war, destruction, fleeing for your life and

put your kids front and center and talk about them being sick. Kids get you to the front of

every line.

[Ulic]

Merkel is now talking out of both sides of her. The German border is now closed to migrants

passing through Austria. Now Austria is not the preferred, Germany or Sweden but pretty

close so the migrants will hold up there and take up residence (many have) As Austria

is now full they close there southern boarder and the domino effect of musical chairs

takes shape. Nobody now wants to have the migrants within there boarder when the

music stops, which apparently it has. That said while the music has stopped, Merkel

continues to sing (without the music) sending mixed messages to migrants. It is still

OK to come. I am on your side and I am going to get the boarders open for you. At least

that is the message I hear when she speaks.

[bangon04]

Why doesn't she take a lesson from history? When her Soviet friends blockaded borders once before, a large scale airlift was arranged direct to Berlin.

As many of the "refugees" are camped at the old Athens airport, that would be the perfect rallying point for the airlift to start from. Tell them all to head there...

[thaibeachlovers]

If Greece is finding it a bit hard with all the illegal economic migrants camped on the Macedonian border they can help themselves by refusing to allow any ship with illegal migrants to enter a Greek port. Sure, it would be against "international law", but so is what all the countries that have closed their borders have done. Those laws were drawn up when only a few refugees were involved. The situation has changed- the laws need to change as well.

It's time to return the illegal immigrants to Turkey, if only by putting them on a boat and pushing them over the sea border towards Turkey. Turkey is obviously not interested in stopping them leaving.

[Saradoc1972]

She should arrange for welcoming assembly points in Turkey, Greece, and Italy (a trillion or so Euros should get things underway), guarantee to accept everyone who shows up, and provide free air transport (to their city of choice in Germany) for the lot.

She really needs to be more hospitable.

Make that a trillion or so German Euro s to be billed directly to the German government and not to the other EU countries. Publish it and see how the German people really feel about it.

That's not how things work here anymore. They don't care what we Germans think, and if you were to actually cry wolf publicly you'd be denounced as a right-wing populist xenophobic Nazi racist and called incredibly stupid because you don't see the light.

The whole scheme, whatever its purpose might be now it has turned out the majority of those migrants are *not* going to be the salvation for Germany's demographic problems, is kept going by crowds of deluded welcome-clappers who apparently think it was Germany's deliverance from falling back into the Nazi-era if they just welcome... really anyone, including hardened criminals and Muslim-background zealots who will never fit in.

Most of Merkel's Christian Democrats party would really love to listen to the people, or so it seems, if only they had not tied themselves to Merkel to cling to their seats, whatever the use of that will be when things go to shambles, and lacking an alternative to step up and take charge. Same goes for coalition-partner Social Democrats who used to be the major opposition when it was mostly a two-party system.

And Merkel should really think about just shutting up and realize the rest of Europe are behaving this way because they don't want the whole thing to implode with a big bang. Time for her to be promoted to an inactive post outside Germany where she can play saint as much as she likes and no-one needs to pay heed. UNHCR springs to mind.

It's dishonest anyway. Or do you believe the EU-wannabes in the south-east would be doing what they do without at least the tacit consent of Germany and France? It's all a big face-saving mission so Merkel won't have to admit she had to switch to "Plan B" to tackle the influx. That's actual German politics right now, just they call what is now happening "Plan A2". Literally, officially. You could not make this stuff up of you tried.

Oh, and in case anyone has so far failed to note: It's general elections in three German states this weekend. Ready the Champagne bottles, it's looking good for the Alternative party.

[sweatalot]

dumb and dumber

[Baerboxer]

"Angela Merkel says nations should not act individually but collectively, so Greece is not left to deal with the huge numbers of migrants blocked in its territory."

Anglea:

who did you consult for a collective agreement when you invited all to come to Germany and be welcome?

who did you consult for a collective agreement when you decided to close Germany's borders? And now your hypocrisy is so great you slag others off for doing what you did.

who did you consult for a collective agreement when you decided every EU must take a quota to sort out the mess you created?

Her problem is she believes she and Germany are the EU rulers, should make all the decisions and tell everyone what they must do. (Not what Germany does but one Germany says).

Her arrogance and hypocrisy are shameless and know no bounds. Now she "barters" EU entry with the lunatic Erdogan, a man determined to take Turkey back in time several centuries to relive the Ottoman "glories". Again, she and Germany want to decide and then tell the rest of the EU how it is.

Not very big on collective agreements really - more dictating the German solution, in German interests only.

[Baerboxer]

"Angela Merkel says nations should not act individually but collectively, so Greece is not left to deal with the huge numbers of migrants blocked in its territory."

Anglea:

who did you consult for a collective agreement when you invited all to come to Germany and be welcome?

who did you consult for a collective agreement when you decided to close Germany's borders? And now your hypocrisy is so great you slag others off for doing what you did.

who did you consult for a collective agreement when you decided every EU must take a quota to sort out the mess you created?

Her problem is she believes she and Germany are the EU rulers, should make all the decisions and tell everyone what they must do. (Not what Germany does but one Germany says).

Her arrogance and hypocrisy are shameless and know no bounds. Now she "barters" EU entry with the lunatic Erdogan, a man determined to take Turkey back in time several centuries to relive the Ottoman "glories". Again, she and Germany want to decide and then tell the rest of the EU how it is.

Not very big on collective agreements really - more dictating the German solution, in German interests only.

[tomacht8]

Here is an interesting article from the spiegel:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/refugee-crisis-policies-have-merkel-on-defensive-in-europe-a-1081820.html

The price for her policies .....is a German society that is more divided and disgruntled than it has been in years.
She also created a Europe that is no longer united.

[peergin]

I have consulted my son on the latest agreement between Turkey and the EU. He follows developments closely so he is well informed. His advice is:

Close all internal and external EU borders immediately and for as long as necessary.

Deploy the navies of the various EU countries in the Mediterranean and let them turn around all new migrant boats to wherever they came from.

Do not pay the € 6,200,000,000.- (yes, you read that correctly: € 6,200,000,000.- !!!) of tax payers’ money to Turkey.

Do not admit Turkey to the European Union, ever.

Do not grant Turkish citizens visa free entry into the EU. (You don’t want to replace one kind of muslims with another kind of muslims, do you?)

Do not accept a migrant from Turkey in exchange for returning another migrant to Turkey. (This is totally illogical and also appears to be illegal.)

The whole world knows but the EU politicians and those in Brussels still don’t seem to understand that Turkey has been playing very, very dirty “games” for several years. The country is not an honest, reliable partner. Therefore, succumbing to Turkish present blackmail is absurd, stupid and unnecessary. With all borders closed there is nothing Turkey can do.

Let Germany solve its own problem with the more than 1 million migrants Frau Merkel invited in last year. Do not permit Germany to decrease its burden by trying to compel other EU nations to share in the burden. The local populations in those countries must compel their (paper-tiger) leaders to refuse taking part responsibility for the colossal mistake which Frau Merkel has made.

Sort and separate economic migrants as fast as possible and return them to their country of origin by sea. Not by air; that is much too expensive. Give each vessel a heavy navy escort to prevent troubles. Do not give the returnees any financial assistance. (That would only invite more migrants to try and break into Europe for the financial reward.)

Stop providing any assistance such as housing, medical care (with the exception of life threatening cases), food, financial allowances, etc. There is no need for the European people to pamper the migrants.

Enact immediate legislation to prevent NGOs, volunteers and other do-gooders to provide any assistance to the migrants.

Immediately expel all new migrants who commit crimes, no matter how small.

As for the migrants who remain, each EU member state must make its own decision on whether to reject, or accept them and how many. Intervention from any other party (including Brussels!) must be rejected and ignored.

THE ABOVE SHOULD CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO LEAVE EUROPE IN A HURRY IN ORDER TO SEEK THEIR FORTUNES ELSEWHERE. (SAUDI ARABIA AND SIMILAR COUNTRIES SPRING TO MIND).

Existing migrants and newly-accepted ones must be denied free access to the other EU member states.

Also, expel all newly arrived imams and those who have already settled down, beginning with the most dangerous ones.

Pull down all mosques and turn the spaces into small parks or commercial areas. Do not permit new mosques to be built. Close all muslim schools.

In this way there will be no more places where zombies can be radicalised.

Expel all muslims who have already settled in the EU if they have a criminal record.

Revoke all voting rights for muslims who have already settled in the EU and do not grant voting rights to newly-accepted ones. This is extremely important!!

Ignore the NGOs, UNHCR and the like. They are not the ones who struggle with this gigantic problem.

Arrest all those guilty EU “politicians” (Frau Merkel and her like-minded colleagues in Germany and all over Western Europe) as well as those in Brussels, especially Tusk and Juncker. Drag them before a court of law, have them convicted and incarcerated for multiple crimes such as destroying Europe, for complicity in mass murder, for causing grievous bodily harm to large numbers of people, and other very, very serious crimes including rape. That should merit extremely heavy sentences of not less than life in prison.

Finally, 2 months ago there was a frightening documentary on the Arab Aljazeera TV station about a university in Tunisia. This university is in the process of training more than 12,000 (!!!) young men to become imams. They will fan out across the whole world as soon as they graduate. The university does not teach anything else. One of the deans also proudly stated that there are many identical universities in muslim countries where huge numbers are young men are studying to become imams. Do you see the deadly danger?

Concluding, my son says that all of the above is necessary. It comes very late but it is a last-ditch effort to try and save Europe from total, utter destruction. It will also save countless lives, not to speak of equally innocent maimed and injured men, women and children by preventing some of the inevitable error attacks. These measures are harsh but then Europe’s very existence is at stake.

I am certain that my son is correct because he is very intelligent. Actually, that runs in the family. And, that is the reason why there are no politicians in the family.

Oh, and my son is 12 years old. He is presently in Grade 6 and will go to Grade 7 (the first year of high school) at the beginning of the next school year.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Scott
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