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Thousands of Migrants Reach Austria as New Groups Set Off Thousands of Migrants Reach Austria as New Groups Set Off
(35 minutes later)
NICKELSDORF, Austria — The extraordinary march of migrants, breaking through Hungarian obstacles, reached Austria on Saturday morning after a night of frantic negotiations among German, Austrian and Hungarian officials cleared the way. NICKELSDORF, Austria — An extraordinary march of migrants broke through Hungarian obstacles and reached Austria on Saturday morning after a night of frantic negotiations among German, Austrian and Hungarian officials cleared the way.
Nearly 5,000 exhausted migrants, many of them fleeing from Syria, were bused to the Austrian border by a Hungarian government that gave up trying to stop them and instead decided to help them travel in safety. Austrian officials said that 6,500 migrants, many of them from Syria, had reached Austria by Saturday afternoon, and at least 2,200 were already on their way to Germany.
On Saturday morning, however, a new group of about 1,000 migrants set off themselves on foot from the Budapest train station, Keleti, on their own march to the border, trying to reach Germany, their promised land. Overnight, some 4,500 exhausted migrants were bused to the Austrian border by a Hungarian government that gave up trying to stop them and instead decided to help them travel in safety.
But Hungarian authorities, who had helped the first group, said on Saturday that they would not provide further buses to the border but would stick to their understanding of European regulations and try to stop and register new migrants. On Saturday morning, however, a new group of about 1,000 migrants set off themselves on foot from the Budapest train station, Keleti, on their own march to the border, trying to reach Germany, their promised land. Hungarian authorities said on Saturday that they would not provide further buses to the border but would stick to their understanding of European regulations and try to stop and register new migrants.
Zoltan Kovacs, a government spokesman, told the state news agency that Hungarian officials were not planning to dispatch any more buses to Austria. But at least 2,000 more migrants were caught trying to enter Hungary on Friday alone, and Janos Lazar, the chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said that Hungary would work to complete its border fence to stop further illegal entry.Zoltan Kovacs, a government spokesman, told the state news agency that Hungarian officials were not planning to dispatch any more buses to Austria. But at least 2,000 more migrants were caught trying to enter Hungary on Friday alone, and Janos Lazar, the chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said that Hungary would work to complete its border fence to stop further illegal entry.
Late Friday night, the Hungarian attitude appeared to have changed. The Hungarians provided dozens of buses from Budapest, and the drivers stopped to pick up at least 1,000 people who had decided to walk along the main highway to Austria and then, if necessary, to Germany.Late Friday night, the Hungarian attitude appeared to have changed. The Hungarians provided dozens of buses from Budapest, and the drivers stopped to pick up at least 1,000 people who had decided to walk along the main highway to Austria and then, if necessary, to Germany.
That group, fed up with an earlier Hungarian decision to block their travel and force them to register in Hungary, spontaneously followed a Syrian migrant who goes by the nickname Abu al-Majd and left Keleti train station in Budapest on Friday to begin their long march to Germany.That group, fed up with an earlier Hungarian decision to block their travel and force them to register in Hungary, spontaneously followed a Syrian migrant who goes by the nickname Abu al-Majd and left Keleti train station in Budapest on Friday to begin their long march to Germany.
With international train service already frozen and the march blocking a major highway, Hungary was on the brink of shutting down. The Hungarian government was forced to bend, deciding that if the migrants wanted to leave Hungary so badly the officials should help them to do so. Officials said they provided 104 buses for about 4,500 people.With international train service already frozen and the march blocking a major highway, Hungary was on the brink of shutting down. The Hungarian government was forced to bend, deciding that if the migrants wanted to leave Hungary so badly the officials should help them to do so. Officials said they provided 104 buses for about 4,500 people.
The scenes at the Austrian border at Nickelsdorf were chaotic, with the Hungarians making the migrants walk the final distance to the border in the rain.The scenes at the Austrian border at Nickelsdorf were chaotic, with the Hungarians making the migrants walk the final distance to the border in the rain.
Wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags against the chilly downpour, lines of weary migrants, many carrying small, sleeping children, climbed off buses on the Hungarian side of the border and walked into Austria, receiving fruit and water from aid workers. There were portable toilets, and some Austrians held signs that read, “Refugees welcome.”Wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags against the chilly downpour, lines of weary migrants, many carrying small, sleeping children, climbed off buses on the Hungarian side of the border and walked into Austria, receiving fruit and water from aid workers. There were portable toilets, and some Austrians held signs that read, “Refugees welcome.”
“We’re happy. We’ll go to Germany,” said a Syrian man who gave his name as Mohammed.“We’re happy. We’ll go to Germany,” said a Syrian man who gave his name as Mohammed.
At about 10 a.m., five trains with 400 migrants each had left the border for Vienna and Salzburg. About 10 a.m., five trains with 400 migrants each had left the border for Vienna and Salzburg. After late-night negotiations between Austria and Germany, these migrants were to be offered the choice of remaining in Austria to file for asylum or to go to Germany to do the same.
After late-night negotiations between Austria and Germany, these migrants were to be offered the choice of remaining in Austria to file for asylum or to go to Germany to do the same.
German officials were expecting many to arrive in Munich by midafternoon. Buses have been prepared to ferry migrants to reception centers throughout Bavaria and to the rest of Germany’s 16 states to ensure that people are cared for properly, said Simone Hilgers, spokeswoman for the local government.German officials were expecting many to arrive in Munich by midafternoon. Buses have been prepared to ferry migrants to reception centers throughout Bavaria and to the rest of Germany’s 16 states to ensure that people are cared for properly, said Simone Hilgers, spokeswoman for the local government.
“Our top priority is to move people quickly as possible to a safe place where they can be cared for,” she said. “Nobody should have to wait outside.” The Bavarian police said that they were expecting 5,000 to 10,000 arrivals on Saturday.“Our top priority is to move people quickly as possible to a safe place where they can be cared for,” she said. “Nobody should have to wait outside.” The Bavarian police said that they were expecting 5,000 to 10,000 arrivals on Saturday.
Georg Streiter, a deputy spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that Germany and Austria had decided late Friday to allow migrants stranded in Budapest to enter their countries and apply for asylum there.Georg Streiter, a deputy spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that Germany and Austria had decided late Friday to allow migrants stranded in Budapest to enter their countries and apply for asylum there.
“It was an impossible situation,” Mr. Streiter said. “It had to be resolved.”“It was an impossible situation,” Mr. Streiter said. “It had to be resolved.”
The officials were concerned that without any official agreement there could be violence at the Austro-Hungarian border when the migrants reached it.The officials were concerned that without any official agreement there could be violence at the Austro-Hungarian border when the migrants reached it.
But a German official emphasized that this was a one-time response and that there is no permanent solution to the migrant wave. Neither Austria nor Germany were open for all refugees seeking a way out, the official said.But a German official emphasized that this was a one-time response and that there is no permanent solution to the migrant wave. Neither Austria nor Germany were open for all refugees seeking a way out, the official said.
That, of course, is the problem. The European Union, which operates by consensus among its 28 member states, is debating what to do, but there remains considerable resistance among Central European states like Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, as well as from Britain, to mandatory quotas of migrants as France and Germany have proposed. That, of course, is the problem. The European Union, which operates by consensus among its 28 member states, is debating what to do, but there remains considerable resistance among Central European states like Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, as well as from Britain, to mandatory quotas of migrants, as France and Germany have proposed.
Ms. Merkel has been praised for her moral leadership for saying that all Syrian migrants would be allowed to come to Germany and apply for asylum. But some have argued, like Mr. Orban and Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, that simply opening the European door will cause many more thousands of migrants and asylum seekers to leave refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and the region, to try the hazardous and expensive journey to Europe, promoting more people-smuggling, and not less.Ms. Merkel has been praised for her moral leadership for saying that all Syrian migrants would be allowed to come to Germany and apply for asylum. But some have argued, like Mr. Orban and Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, that simply opening the European door will cause many more thousands of migrants and asylum seekers to leave refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and the region, to try the hazardous and expensive journey to Europe, promoting more people-smuggling, and not less.
According to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, only 49 percent of the 320,000 or so migrants who have reached Europe this year are from Syria and only 3 percent from Iraq. Some 12 percent are from Afghanistan and 8 percent from Eritrea. In 2014, only about 45 percent of asylum applications made to European governments had a positive outcome — at least half were turned away for not being legal refugees but illegal migrants.According to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, only 49 percent of the 320,000 or so migrants who have reached Europe this year are from Syria and only 3 percent from Iraq. Some 12 percent are from Afghanistan and 8 percent from Eritrea. In 2014, only about 45 percent of asylum applications made to European governments had a positive outcome — at least half were turned away for not being legal refugees but illegal migrants.
The European Union bureaucracy is trying to come up with a plan to set up reception centers for migrants in Greece and Italy, where they can be cared for and screened. The officials are also drawing up a plan to distribute up to 160,000 migrants and asylum-seekers among the member states. But the countries must agree.The European Union bureaucracy is trying to come up with a plan to set up reception centers for migrants in Greece and Italy, where they can be cared for and screened. The officials are also drawing up a plan to distribute up to 160,000 migrants and asylum-seekers among the member states. But the countries must agree.
European Union interior ministers will meet on Sept. 14 to discuss the proposals, and a summit meeting of bloc leaders is likely to follow — unless one is called sooner under the pressure of events.European Union interior ministers will meet on Sept. 14 to discuss the proposals, and a summit meeting of bloc leaders is likely to follow — unless one is called sooner under the pressure of events.
European foreign ministers gathered in Luxembourg on Saturday to discuss the crisis. “This has to be an eye opener, how messed up the situation in Europe is now,” said Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz of Austria. “I hope that this serves as a wake-up call that this cannot continue.”European foreign ministers gathered in Luxembourg on Saturday to discuss the crisis. “This has to be an eye opener, how messed up the situation in Europe is now,” said Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz of Austria. “I hope that this serves as a wake-up call that this cannot continue.”
On Saturday, Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner of Austria appealed to the rest of Europe to help shoulder the burden of the mass influx and vowed that Austria would not use force against any migrant, all of whom would be welcome to apply for asylum there. But she said that only 10 have done so thus far, adding: “The others want to continue, primarily to Germany.” On Saturday, Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner of Austria appealed to the rest of Europe to help shoulder the burden of the mass influx and vowed that Austria would not use force against any migrant, all of whom would be welcome to apply for asylum there. But she said that only 10 have done so thus far. “The others want to continue, primarily to Germany,” she said.