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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/sep/04/refugee-migration-crisis-live-eu-biggest-test-since-second-world-war
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| Refugee crisis: Hundreds set off from Budapest on foot – as it happened | Refugee crisis: Hundreds set off from Budapest on foot – as it happened |
| (30 days later) | |
| 5.38pm BST | 5.38pm BST |
| 17:38 | 17:38 |
| Afternoon summary | Afternoon summary |
| Nadia Khomami | Nadia Khomami |
| We’re closing the live blog now. I’ve included all the significant developments from today below. | We’re closing the live blog now. I’ve included all the significant developments from today below. |
| Join us again tomorrow morning, when we’ll continue to cover the deepening migration crisis that has engulfed Europe. | Join us again tomorrow morning, when we’ll continue to cover the deepening migration crisis that has engulfed Europe. |
| 5.29pm BST | 5.29pm BST |
| 17:29 | 17:29 |
| Further information has come in about the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia rejecting an EU-wide quota system, a measure that Germany and France support. | Further information has come in about the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia rejecting an EU-wide quota system, a measure that Germany and France support. |
| The Czech Republic and Slovakia have proposed creating a rail corridor for Syrian refugees linking Hungary and Germany. Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said at a joint press conference in Prague: “The Czech Republic and Slovakia can create a rail corridor for Syrian refugees travelling from Hungary to Germany, if Berlin and Budapest agree.” | The Czech Republic and Slovakia have proposed creating a rail corridor for Syrian refugees linking Hungary and Germany. Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said at a joint press conference in Prague: “The Czech Republic and Slovakia can create a rail corridor for Syrian refugees travelling from Hungary to Germany, if Berlin and Budapest agree.” |
| Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz insisted that her country, the largest in the region to reject adopting fixed quotas for hosting refugees, believes in “European solidarity”. “We understand this as allowing EU members to take sovereign decisions about their engagement, corresponding to their real possibilities,” she said. | Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz insisted that her country, the largest in the region to reject adopting fixed quotas for hosting refugees, believes in “European solidarity”. “We understand this as allowing EU members to take sovereign decisions about their engagement, corresponding to their real possibilities,” she said. |
| Chovanec told reporters: “The quotas are no solution, we don’t even know the formula we should use to redistribute migrants, and above all how to keep them on Czech and Slovak territories when virtually all of them don’t want to stay here.” | Chovanec told reporters: “The quotas are no solution, we don’t even know the formula we should use to redistribute migrants, and above all how to keep them on Czech and Slovak territories when virtually all of them don’t want to stay here.” |
| While insisting that the EU’s Schengen system of passport-free travel must remain intact, Slovakia’s leftist Prime Minister Robert Fico warned that uncontrolled migration raised the risk of terrorists circulating freely within the EU. | While insisting that the EU’s Schengen system of passport-free travel must remain intact, Slovakia’s leftist Prime Minister Robert Fico warned that uncontrolled migration raised the risk of terrorists circulating freely within the EU. |
| 5.16pm BST | 5.16pm BST |
| 17:16 | 17:16 |
| This is the route the march would take from Budapest to Vienna and onto Munich. Hundreds of migrants have set off along the motorway on foot. | This is the route the march would take from Budapest to Vienna and onto Munich. Hundreds of migrants have set off along the motorway on foot. |
| 4.59pm BST | 4.59pm BST |
| 16:59 | 16:59 |
| More than 4 million people have fled Syria since March 2011. Click through to watch a video, published by AFP, explaining the crisis. | More than 4 million people have fled Syria since March 2011. Click through to watch a video, published by AFP, explaining the crisis. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.01pm BST | at 5.01pm BST |
| 4.55pm BST | 4.55pm BST |
| 16:55 | 16:55 |
| Migrants on a Hungarian train in the town of Bicske have agreed to end their stand-off with riot police and begun to voluntarily leave the train, a Reuters reporter at the station said. Families, mostly women and children, were seen leaving the train and police said the people would be transported to a migrant camp in Bicske. | Migrants on a Hungarian train in the town of Bicske have agreed to end their stand-off with riot police and begun to voluntarily leave the train, a Reuters reporter at the station said. Families, mostly women and children, were seen leaving the train and police said the people would be transported to a migrant camp in Bicske. |
| 4.53pm BST | 4.53pm BST |
| 16:53 | 16:53 |
| Nearly a dozen new leftist Spanish town halls are working to create a network of cities to assist refugees and say Spain should take in more migrants than the 2,739 the country’s government has agreed on. | Nearly a dozen new leftist Spanish town halls are working to create a network of cities to assist refugees and say Spain should take in more migrants than the 2,739 the country’s government has agreed on. |
| The “refugee city” program started when Barcelona mayor Ada Colau announced the creation of a register of people who can take in or help refugees. She said the city hall has received thousands of offers. | The “refugee city” program started when Barcelona mayor Ada Colau announced the creation of a register of people who can take in or help refugees. She said the city hall has received thousands of offers. |
| Other cities such as Madrid and Valencia have followed suit. Madrid mayor Manuela Carmena promised to dedicate 10 million euros to the project. | Other cities such as Madrid and Valencia have followed suit. Madrid mayor Manuela Carmena promised to dedicate 10 million euros to the project. |
| Opposition groups in Spain have criticised the government’s reluctance to take in more migrants. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said that Spain will probably take in more than previously announced. | Opposition groups in Spain have criticised the government’s reluctance to take in more migrants. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said that Spain will probably take in more than previously announced. |
| 4.50pm BST | 4.50pm BST |
| 16:50 | 16:50 |
| Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia reject quota system | Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia reject quota system |
| The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have rejected any quota system for accepting migrants. The four EU leaders said the bloc’s approach should include “preserving the voluntary nature of EU solidarity measures.” They insisted “any proposal leading to introduction of mandatory and permanent quota for solidarity measures would be unacceptable.” | The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have rejected any quota system for accepting migrants. The four EU leaders said the bloc’s approach should include “preserving the voluntary nature of EU solidarity measures.” They insisted “any proposal leading to introduction of mandatory and permanent quota for solidarity measures would be unacceptable.” |
| 4.46pm BST | 4.46pm BST |
| 16:46 | 16:46 |
| At Keleti station, calm has been restored following the clash between right wing extremists and refugees. | At Keleti station, calm has been restored following the clash between right wing extremists and refugees. |
| Top of the board in Keleti station a train to Gyor, the town marchers are heading for on foot. Seems senseless pic.twitter.com/GfHg0DavKi | Top of the board in Keleti station a train to Gyor, the town marchers are heading for on foot. Seems senseless pic.twitter.com/GfHg0DavKi |
| Back at Keleti station there are still so many migrants that it's hard to believe hundreds, maybe thousands left | Back at Keleti station there are still so many migrants that it's hard to believe hundreds, maybe thousands left |
| "We were sleeping and missed the departure" one family says sadly. The portable toilets have overflowed and stink | "We were sleeping and missed the departure" one family says sadly. The portable toilets have overflowed and stink |
| Riot police walk through the camp pic.twitter.com/C2SMqM6CaK | Riot police walk through the camp pic.twitter.com/C2SMqM6CaK |
| 4.35pm BST | 4.35pm BST |
| 16:35 | 16:35 |
| John Domokos reports that many Hungarians are handing out food and water to migrants travelling to Austria along the motorway. | John Domokos reports that many Hungarians are handing out food and water to migrants travelling to Austria along the motorway. |
| Lots of Hungarians out on motorway handing out food and water. Not for first time I am overcome with emotion at the scene | Lots of Hungarians out on motorway handing out food and water. Not for first time I am overcome with emotion at the scene |
| Budapest march: people are tired, some stop for a rest, some walk on. How will this end? http://t.co/yfNYpIsUTY | Budapest march: people are tired, some stop for a rest, some walk on. How will this end? http://t.co/yfNYpIsUTY |
| 4.26pm BST | 4.26pm BST |
| 16:26 | 16:26 |
| A train pulls into Munich from Budapest 40 minutes late - delayed because around 200 refugees were taken off outside the city to be processed. Phoebe Greenwood mets the new arrivals now coming from Libya via Italy who receive a warm welcome from Munich’s volunteers. | A train pulls into Munich from Budapest 40 minutes late - delayed because around 200 refugees were taken off outside the city to be processed. Phoebe Greenwood mets the new arrivals now coming from Libya via Italy who receive a warm welcome from Munich’s volunteers. |
| 4.22pm BST | 4.22pm BST |
| 16:22 | 16:22 |
| AFP is reporting that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris has offered to buy an island off Greece or Italy and develop it to help hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from Syria and other conflicts. The telecoms tycoon first announced the initiative on Twitter. | AFP is reporting that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris has offered to buy an island off Greece or Italy and develop it to help hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from Syria and other conflicts. The telecoms tycoon first announced the initiative on Twitter. |
| Greece or Italy sell me an island,ill call its independence and host the migrants and provide jobs for them building their new country | Greece or Italy sell me an island,ill call its independence and host the migrants and provide jobs for them building their new country |
| Crazy idea .. Maybe but at least temporary until they can return to their countries ??!! | Crazy idea .. Maybe but at least temporary until they can return to their countries ??!! |
| 4.15pm BST | 4.15pm BST |
| 16:15 | 16:15 |
| The governments of Italy, France and Germany have written a letter to the European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini calling for new rules to end a patchwork of national policies that have sowed division among member states. The letter, seen by Reuters, states that “a more efficient asylum system ... goes hand in hand with a more efficient repatriation policy of irregular migrants.” | The governments of Italy, France and Germany have written a letter to the European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini calling for new rules to end a patchwork of national policies that have sowed division among member states. The letter, seen by Reuters, states that “a more efficient asylum system ... goes hand in hand with a more efficient repatriation policy of irregular migrants.” |
| The letter also calls on the EU to agree a list of countries considered safe and whose citizens have fewer rights to claim asylum. This should speed up repatriation and free up time and resources to deal with legitimate asylum applications. | The letter also calls on the EU to agree a list of countries considered safe and whose citizens have fewer rights to claim asylum. This should speed up repatriation and free up time and resources to deal with legitimate asylum applications. |
| A third proposal is to create an “integrated border management system” which could help to identify, fingerprint and register migrants seeking asylum. | A third proposal is to create an “integrated border management system” which could help to identify, fingerprint and register migrants seeking asylum. |
| Responding to the letter to Mogherini, the EU’s head of enlargement, Johannes Hahn, said it was “absolutely necessary” to provide EU support to countries dealing with the biggest flow of migrants. “We have to be clear that the European Union has to support those countries particularly affected,” Hahn said. | Responding to the letter to Mogherini, the EU’s head of enlargement, Johannes Hahn, said it was “absolutely necessary” to provide EU support to countries dealing with the biggest flow of migrants. “We have to be clear that the European Union has to support those countries particularly affected,” Hahn said. |
| 4.13pm BST | 4.13pm BST |
| 16:13 | 16:13 |
| Missiles and bottles have been thrown in the last few minutes at at Keleti train station in Budapest, the BBC is reporting. Syrian refugees are shouting: “Freedom, freedom, we want peace.” Some are holding others back as tensions continue to flare. | Missiles and bottles have been thrown in the last few minutes at at Keleti train station in Budapest, the BBC is reporting. Syrian refugees are shouting: “Freedom, freedom, we want peace.” Some are holding others back as tensions continue to flare. |
| The BBC’s Ben Brown said: “In the last few minutes Hungarian right-wing extremists have thrown fire crackers into what is a makeshift refugee camp at this station. There were two loud explosions. A lot of refugees were understandably frightened and some of the men then chased the far-right extremists, who were skinheads. There were clashes and plastic bottles that were thrown. Riot police were called in.” | The BBC’s Ben Brown said: “In the last few minutes Hungarian right-wing extremists have thrown fire crackers into what is a makeshift refugee camp at this station. There were two loud explosions. A lot of refugees were understandably frightened and some of the men then chased the far-right extremists, who were skinheads. There were clashes and plastic bottles that were thrown. Riot police were called in.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.38pm BST | at 4.38pm BST |
| 4.07pm BST | 4.07pm BST |
| 16:07 | 16:07 |
| Meanwhile, Phoebe Greenwood reports from Munich’s central station, where 500 people have volunteered to help thousands of refugees expected to arrive from Hungary. Colin Turner, a volunteer, shows off a stockpile of food, drink and clothes, but says refugee numbers have tapered because of the actions of the Hungarian authorities. | Meanwhile, Phoebe Greenwood reports from Munich’s central station, where 500 people have volunteered to help thousands of refugees expected to arrive from Hungary. Colin Turner, a volunteer, shows off a stockpile of food, drink and clothes, but says refugee numbers have tapered because of the actions of the Hungarian authorities. |