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| Refugee crisis: Germany says it could take 500,000 people a year - live updates | Refugee crisis: Germany says it could take 500,000 people a year - live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.57am BST10:57 | |
| Arthur Neslen | |
| A hastily refurbished government building last night opened its doors to 500 people opposite a refugee camp that has sprawled across Brussels’ Parc Maximilien, writes Arthur Neslen. | |
| Around 1,000 people are camped out in the mushrooming tent city, which now has a school, hospital, canteen and sanitary facilities, all provided by an ad hoc alliance of social networks and NGOs. | |
| Many of the travellers from Syria, Iraq, Eritrea and Afghanistan are traumatised. | |
| “I fled from Aleppo after planes dropped barrel bombs around my home,” said Ziah Ramadan, 50. “Our building was destroyed and whole families were killed. There were rivers of blood in the streets. I had to walk on the the dead bodies of my neighbours.” | |
| Two of Ziah’s children were injured in the bombing and she was desperately seeking medical assistance for a son with shrapnel injuries to his back and arm, she said. After two months of waiting, she also wanted her asylum application dealt with urgently. | |
| Belgian officials say they are facing the country’s worst ever refugee crisis, with more than 4,600 people making asylum requests in August alone. But the authorities have limited the amount of asylum applications they can process to 250 a day, as the crisis has escalated. | |
| A week ago, the Parc Maximilien camp only housed 150 people. | |
| Ibrahim, a 22-years-old economics student from Baghdad with earphones dangling from his neck, said that he had arrived in the camp via Hungary and Austria, just two hours before. | |
| “It was crazy in Hungary. For two days, we were running from the police in the forest,” he said. “They chased us with taser weapons, shouting ‘stop motherfuckers!’ The police beat you if they catch you. We were in a group of more than 46 people but only four of us got through. All the others were caught” | |
| Ibrahim, a Sunni, said that he had left Baghgdad after Shia militias strafed his house with bullets and shot at him in the street. The attack was led by sectarian relatives of his girlfriend, he claimed. | |
| Both Ibrahim and Ziah said they had been packed like cattle into refrigerated lorries en route to Europe, in transits during which they feared they might die. Ziah said that some travellers had perished on her journey. | |
| “Most of these people are post-traumatic and experiencing paranoia and real difficulties,” said Eloise Francart, a camp coordinator. “Many were also injured in Hungary and Austria. Our medics tent is open 20 hours a day but we just can’t fit any more people in.” | |
| Around the park, refugees and migrants are staging spontaneous demonstrations led by drummers that block the streets, in a bid to speed up their asylum applications. | |
| The camp buzzes with life and donations from local residents but it has been targeted by local thieves and drenched with rain. | |
| Even so, refugees rights groups say that last night, only 20-30 people checked into the government building, which has few showers and requires refugees to leave the building with their belongings every morning. | |
| 10.42am BST10:42 | |
| UNHCR calls for 'guaranteed relocation' system | |
| A record number of 7,000 Syrians reached Macedonia on Monday, according to the UNHCR in press briefing. | |
| It added that 30,000 migrants are now in Greece, including 20,000 in Lesbos alone. | |
| Calling for “guaranteed relocation” system a spokeswoman Melissa Flemming said: “Discussions in Europe this week are taking on even greater urgency because it obviously cannot be a German solution to a European problem.” | |
| She welcomed separate offers announced by Britain and France on Monday to take in Syrian refugees, but said reception centres must be set up in countries including Hungary and Greece. | |
| “Those can only work if there is a guaranteed relocation system whereby European countries saying yes will take X number. We believe it should be 200,000 - that’s the number we believe need relocation in Europe countries,” Fleming said. | |
| 10.27am BST10:27 | 10.27am BST10:27 |
| Germany could take 500,000 people per annum for years | Germany could take 500,000 people per annum for years |
| Germany looks set to take even more refugees, as its vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said it could take half a million people each year for “several years”. | Germany looks set to take even more refugees, as its vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said it could take half a million people each year for “several years”. |
| “I believe we could surely deal with something in the order of half a million for several years,” the vice chancellor told ZDF public television, AFP reports. | “I believe we could surely deal with something in the order of half a million for several years,” the vice chancellor told ZDF public television, AFP reports. |
| “I have no doubt about that, maybe more,” the leader of the centre-left Social Democrats said, as Germany expects to receive 800,000 asylum-seekers this year, four times the 2014 total. | “I have no doubt about that, maybe more,” the leader of the centre-left Social Democrats said, as Germany expects to receive 800,000 asylum-seekers this year, four times the 2014 total. |
| However, Gabriel stressed that other European countries must also accept their fair share as refugees keep fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa and head for the 28-nation EU. | However, Gabriel stressed that other European countries must also accept their fair share as refugees keep fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa and head for the 28-nation EU. |
| “We can’t just take almost one million people every year and seamlessly integrate them” into German society, he said. | “We can’t just take almost one million people every year and seamlessly integrate them” into German society, he said. |
| Germany would keep accepting “a greatly disproportionate share” among EU members “because we are an economically strong country, without doubt”, said Gabriel. | Germany would keep accepting “a greatly disproportionate share” among EU members “because we are an economically strong country, without doubt”, said Gabriel. |
| But it was unacceptable for the EU to keep relying on just a few countries, such as Austria, Sweden and Germany, he added, saying that “that’s why I am certain that European policy needs to change”. | But it was unacceptable for the EU to keep relying on just a few countries, such as Austria, Sweden and Germany, he added, saying that “that’s why I am certain that European policy needs to change”. |
| 10.09am BST10:09 | 10.09am BST10:09 |
| Tusk: Europe facing 'exodus' | Tusk: Europe facing 'exodus' |
| Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, has warned that Europe is facing the start of “a real exodus” of people. | Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, has warned that Europe is facing the start of “a real exodus” of people. |
| In a speech at the Bruegel annual dinner in Brussels, he called for a response that the balanced solidarity with refugees and containment at Europe’s borders. | In a speech at the Bruegel annual dinner in Brussels, he called for a response that the balanced solidarity with refugees and containment at Europe’s borders. |
| He said: | He said: |
| Today, it is truly a paradox that the biggest countries in Europe, like Germany and Italy, need solidarity from others. | Today, it is truly a paradox that the biggest countries in Europe, like Germany and Italy, need solidarity from others. |
| At the same time we should seriously address containing the uncontrolled migration by strengthening the borders and getting the keys to our continent back from the hands of smugglers and murderers. The two approaches of solidarity and containment need not be mutually exclusive. It would be unforgivable if Europe split into advocates of containment symbolized by the Hungarian fence and advocates of full openness voiced by some politicians as the policy of open doors and windows. | At the same time we should seriously address containing the uncontrolled migration by strengthening the borders and getting the keys to our continent back from the hands of smugglers and murderers. The two approaches of solidarity and containment need not be mutually exclusive. It would be unforgivable if Europe split into advocates of containment symbolized by the Hungarian fence and advocates of full openness voiced by some politicians as the policy of open doors and windows. |
| Today, I call on all EU leaders to redouble their efforts, when it comes to solidarity with the members facing this unprecedented migratory wave. Accepting more refugees is an important gesture of real solidarity but not the only one. An enormous effort is also demanded of the European institutions. Humanitarian efforts to contain migratory flows will require much greater engagement from Europe. It means a major increase in spending. When we talk about new reception centres, better protection of the borders or development aid for the countries outside the EU, much more money will be needed ... | Today, I call on all EU leaders to redouble their efforts, when it comes to solidarity with the members facing this unprecedented migratory wave. Accepting more refugees is an important gesture of real solidarity but not the only one. An enormous effort is also demanded of the European institutions. Humanitarian efforts to contain migratory flows will require much greater engagement from Europe. It means a major increase in spending. When we talk about new reception centres, better protection of the borders or development aid for the countries outside the EU, much more money will be needed ... |
| But let us have no illusions that we have a silver bullet in our hands to reverse the situation. The present wave of migration is not a one-time incident but the beginning of a real exodus, which only means that we will have to deal with this problem for many years to come. Therefore it is so important to learn how to live with it without blaming each other. | But let us have no illusions that we have a silver bullet in our hands to reverse the situation. The present wave of migration is not a one-time incident but the beginning of a real exodus, which only means that we will have to deal with this problem for many years to come. Therefore it is so important to learn how to live with it without blaming each other. |
| Also, we should not feel ashamed of our emotions. Compassion is one of the foundations of solidarity, but in order to be able to help others we ourselves must be pragmatic at the same time. We are now experiencing one of the most classical political dilemmas, that is a conflict between the protection of our borders and solidarity towards the refugees. Wise politics doesn’t mean having to choose one value over the other, but to reconcile the two to the degree possible. In this case pragmatism should be the First Commandment. | Also, we should not feel ashamed of our emotions. Compassion is one of the foundations of solidarity, but in order to be able to help others we ourselves must be pragmatic at the same time. We are now experiencing one of the most classical political dilemmas, that is a conflict between the protection of our borders and solidarity towards the refugees. Wise politics doesn’t mean having to choose one value over the other, but to reconcile the two to the degree possible. In this case pragmatism should be the First Commandment. |
| 9.50am BST09:50 | 9.50am BST09:50 |
| Helena Smith | Helena Smith |
| After overnight clashes in Lesbos the focus of the crisis in Greece has moved north to the country’s border with Macedonia, our correspondent Helena Smith reports from Athens. | After overnight clashes in Lesbos the focus of the crisis in Greece has moved north to the country’s border with Macedonia, our correspondent Helena Smith reports from Athens. |
| Greek television this morning reported scenes of mayhem on the frontier with Macedonia where thousands of migrants and refugees have now gathered. | Greek television this morning reported scenes of mayhem on the frontier with Macedonia where thousands of migrants and refugees have now gathered. |
| And at first light police resumed a search and rescue operation in the hope of finding a 23-year-old Syrian father last seen struggling in the fast moving waters of the Axios river that separates the two states. | And at first light police resumed a search and rescue operation in the hope of finding a 23-year-old Syrian father last seen struggling in the fast moving waters of the Axios river that separates the two states. |
| Meanwhile, more than 3,000 newcomers, most brought in on cruiseships from Lesbos, arrived in Athens’ port of Pireaus on Monday according to authorities. | Meanwhile, more than 3,000 newcomers, most brought in on cruiseships from Lesbos, arrived in Athens’ port of Pireaus on Monday according to authorities. |
| The Red Cross has rushed to set up medical facilities in a central square in the capital where it could be seen handing out food and water to new arrivals. Speaking on behalf of the organisation, Angeliki Fanaki who is coordinating the drive, said every effort was now being made to ensure that refugees were received with a level of dignity they may not have experienced so far. | The Red Cross has rushed to set up medical facilities in a central square in the capital where it could be seen handing out food and water to new arrivals. Speaking on behalf of the organisation, Angeliki Fanaki who is coordinating the drive, said every effort was now being made to ensure that refugees were received with a level of dignity they may not have experienced so far. |
| In Lesbos, where the vast majority, have been forced to sleep rough or in tents, with almost no access to running water or public toilets, conditions have become increasingly squalid. | In Lesbos, where the vast majority, have been forced to sleep rough or in tents, with almost no access to running water or public toilets, conditions have become increasingly squalid. |
| The minister of migration, Yiannis Mouzalas, himself a physician with Doctors of the World, described them as “miserable” after visiting the island on Sunday. An estimated 20,000 Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis, Iranians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have converged on the island’s capital, Mytilini where some 27,000 locals live. | The minister of migration, Yiannis Mouzalas, himself a physician with Doctors of the World, described them as “miserable” after visiting the island on Sunday. An estimated 20,000 Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis, Iranians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have converged on the island’s capital, Mytilini where some 27,000 locals live. |
| “It is an intolerable situation,” said the island’s mayor Spyros Galanos who has appealed to residents to boycott the country’s upcoming general election and threatened to not open schools later this week if relief measures and emergency action aren’t taken quickly. This morning many locals told Greek TV that after several days of street clashes between refugees and riot police, it had reached the point where they were afraid to leave their homes. The government has responded by opening a second reception centre to speed up processing of the newcomers – who have also fallen victim to crisis-plagued Greek bureaucracy - and laying on more ships to transit them to the mainland. But with ever more new arrivals from the shores of Turkey, no amount of emergency action appears to be adequate. | “It is an intolerable situation,” said the island’s mayor Spyros Galanos who has appealed to residents to boycott the country’s upcoming general election and threatened to not open schools later this week if relief measures and emergency action aren’t taken quickly. This morning many locals told Greek TV that after several days of street clashes between refugees and riot police, it had reached the point where they were afraid to leave their homes. The government has responded by opening a second reception centre to speed up processing of the newcomers – who have also fallen victim to crisis-plagued Greek bureaucracy - and laying on more ships to transit them to the mainland. But with ever more new arrivals from the shores of Turkey, no amount of emergency action appears to be adequate. |
| On Monday, the Greek government appealed to the EU commission for 2.5 bn euros in emergency funding – usually reserved for natural disasters - to deal with the crisis. | On Monday, the Greek government appealed to the EU commission for 2.5 bn euros in emergency funding – usually reserved for natural disasters - to deal with the crisis. |
| 9.38am BST09:38 | 9.38am BST09:38 |
| European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker is meeting officials in Strasbourg to finalise a quota plan to resettle refugees across Europe. Juncker is expected to announce on Wednesday how 160,000 people will be helped under the plan, but there have been calls for the EU to go further. | European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker is meeting officials in Strasbourg to finalise a quota plan to resettle refugees across Europe. Juncker is expected to announce on Wednesday how 160,000 people will be helped under the plan, but there have been calls for the EU to go further. |
| Under the quotas, Germany had been expected to take more than 31,000 refugees, but a report in the German paper Die Welt, suggests Germany will be asked to accept 39,400 under the scheme. | Under the quotas, Germany had been expected to take more than 31,000 refugees, but a report in the German paper Die Welt, suggests Germany will be asked to accept 39,400 under the scheme. |
| Verteilungsschlüssel: So will die EU-Kommission Flüchtlinge verteilen. http://t.co/4UsNQIAtRi pic.twitter.com/71nEGebQkf | Verteilungsschlüssel: So will die EU-Kommission Flüchtlinge verteilen. http://t.co/4UsNQIAtRi pic.twitter.com/71nEGebQkf |
| Guy Verhofstadt, the former prime minister of Belgium and president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, said EU countries should accept many more refugees. | Guy Verhofstadt, the former prime minister of Belgium and president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, said EU countries should accept many more refugees. |
| Commission`s proposal to give shelter to 160K #refugees doesn't even represent 0,3 % of our population. And we can't cope with that ? | Commission`s proposal to give shelter to 160K #refugees doesn't even represent 0,3 % of our population. And we can't cope with that ? |
| 9.13am BST09:13 | 9.13am BST09:13 |
| The governor of Finland’s central bank has pledged to donate a month’s salary, or €10,000, to help the Finnish Red Cross cope with migration crisis. | The governor of Finland’s central bank has pledged to donate a month’s salary, or €10,000, to help the Finnish Red Cross cope with migration crisis. |
| In a Facebook post Erkki Liikanen urged individuals to do what they could to help. Explaining his donation he said: “I know that the money will get through to those suffering the greatest distress.” | In a Facebook post Erkki Liikanen urged individuals to do what they could to help. Explaining his donation he said: “I know that the money will get through to those suffering the greatest distress.” |
| 8.56am BST08:56 | 8.56am BST08:56 |
| The pope has again urged every parish and religious community to host a refugee family. A tweet, issued by the Vatican in several languages, echoed a call the pope made on Sunday. | The pope has again urged every parish and religious community to host a refugee family. A tweet, issued by the Vatican in several languages, echoed a call the pope made on Sunday. |
| May every parish and religious community in Europe host a refugee family. #Jubilee #refugeeswelcome | May every parish and religious community in Europe host a refugee family. #Jubilee #refugeeswelcome |
| Updated at 8.56am BST | Updated at 8.56am BST |
| 8.47am BST08:47 | 8.47am BST08:47 |
| Hungary’s anti-immigration prime minister, Viktor Orban, says he wants to speed up construction of a fence meant to stop migrants on the southern border with Serbia, AP reports. | Hungary’s anti-immigration prime minister, Viktor Orban, says he wants to speed up construction of a fence meant to stop migrants on the southern border with Serbia, AP reports. |
| Orban was quoted in the pro-government Magyar Idok (Hungarian Times) daily newspaper as saying that he was persuaded of the need for more workers on the fence being built by the Hungarian army after an unannounced inspection of the barrier on Monday with his chief of staff, Janos Lazar. | Orban was quoted in the pro-government Magyar Idok (Hungarian Times) daily newspaper as saying that he was persuaded of the need for more workers on the fence being built by the Hungarian army after an unannounced inspection of the barrier on Monday with his chief of staff, Janos Lazar. |
| Hungary initially said that a 4-meter (13-feet) high fence would be built on the 174-kilometer (109-mile) border with Serbia by the end of November, but in July Orban called for it to be completed by the end of August. | Hungary initially said that a 4-meter (13-feet) high fence would be built on the 174-kilometer (109-mile) border with Serbia by the end of November, but in July Orban called for it to be completed by the end of August. |
| A government statement implied that Defense Minister Csaba Hende resigned Monday because of the unsatisfactory pace of construction. | A government statement implied that Defense Minister Csaba Hende resigned Monday because of the unsatisfactory pace of construction. |
| Meanwhile, Hungary is reported to have issued flyers warning asylum seekers that they face imprisonment if they cross Hungary’s border without permission. | Meanwhile, Hungary is reported to have issued flyers warning asylum seekers that they face imprisonment if they cross Hungary’s border without permission. |
| #Hungary starts information campaign along #migration route with this flyer #refugeescrisis pic.twitter.com/gJpy9e3sJq | #Hungary starts information campaign along #migration route with this flyer #refugeescrisis pic.twitter.com/gJpy9e3sJq |
| Despite such warnings almost 3,000 people crossed into Hungary on Monday, according to the BBC’s Matthew Price. | Despite such warnings almost 3,000 people crossed into Hungary on Monday, according to the BBC’s Matthew Price. |
| An estimated 5000 people crossed into Serbia from Macedonia on Monday. 2706 crossed into Hungary yesterday, 660 of them children. | An estimated 5000 people crossed into Serbia from Macedonia on Monday. 2706 crossed into Hungary yesterday, 660 of them children. |
| Updated at 8.49am BST | Updated at 8.49am BST |
| 8.07am BST08:07 | 8.07am BST08:07 |
| Summary | Summary |
| Welcome to our continuing coverage of the refugee crisis across Europe. | Welcome to our continuing coverage of the refugee crisis across Europe. |
| We’ll start with a summary of the latest flash points and differing responses to the crisis: | We’ll start with a summary of the latest flash points and differing responses to the crisis: |
| Updated at 8.16am BST | Updated at 8.16am BST |