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| Refugee crisis: Hungary launches border crackdown – live updates | Refugee crisis: Hungary launches border crackdown – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.12am BST10:12 | |
| The United Nations says its “deeply disappointed” at the failure of European Union interiors ministers to reach a final consensus on a plan to relocate of 120,000 refugees. | |
| “Decisive agreement is needed without further delay to address the needs, as is bold action based on solidarity from all member states,” the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement. | |
| A majority of EU interior ministers, meeting in Brussels on Monday, agreed in principle to share out 120,000 asylum seekers on top of some 40,000 distributed on a voluntary basis so far. | |
| 9.57am BST09:57 | |
| Hungary’s former Socialist prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany has travelled to the frontier with Serbia to denounce the Hungarian government’s border crackdown. | |
| He described the policies of his anti-immigration successor Viktor Orban as “disgraceful”. | |
| Hungary's former PM Ferenc Gyurcsany visits refugees stuck on Serbian side of border. Calls situation 'disgraceful' pic.twitter.com/MhcBFvNN15 | |
| Fmr PM Gyurcsany has been hosting refugees in his Budapest home. Says humanitarian obligations trump legal ones pic.twitter.com/ouoXkuLSrR | |
| In an interview with the Canadian broadcaster CTV over the weekend Gyurcsany said the erection of the border fence was a symbolic gesture by Orban aimed at placating the far-right. | |
| “The Hungarian prime minister would like to represent himself as a very strong man trying to gain new voters from the … right,” he said. | |
| Updated at 9.59am BST | |
| 9.43am BST09:43 | 9.43am BST09:43 |
| Britain’s former foreign secretary David Miliband has attacked Hungary’s border crackdown as “shameful and misguided”. | Britain’s former foreign secretary David Miliband has attacked Hungary’s border crackdown as “shameful and misguided”. |
| Speaking to Channel 4 News, Miliband, now director of the US based International Rescue Committee, said the construction of a border fence with Serbia would “lock up mountains of problems.” | Speaking to Channel 4 News, Miliband, now director of the US based International Rescue Committee, said the construction of a border fence with Serbia would “lock up mountains of problems.” |
| He added: “When you build fences you empower criminal gangs to charge more to get round them.” | He added: “When you build fences you empower criminal gangs to charge more to get round them.” |
| 9.26am BST09:26 | 9.26am BST09:26 |
| In the next hour or so German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to make her first statements to the press since her government reintroduced border controls. | In the next hour or so German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to make her first statements to the press since her government reintroduced border controls. |
| She is schedule to give a press conference after meeting Austria’s chancellor Werner Faymann. | She is schedule to give a press conference after meeting Austria’s chancellor Werner Faymann. |
| Politico Europe reckons Merkel was forced to partially reverse her government’s welcoming response to refugees after opposition from local governments. | Politico Europe reckons Merkel was forced to partially reverse her government’s welcoming response to refugees after opposition from local governments. |
| The chancellor faced intense pressure from state and local officials expected to house and feed the growing wave of asylum seekers heading to the country. | The chancellor faced intense pressure from state and local officials expected to house and feed the growing wave of asylum seekers heading to the country. |
| Their message to the German leader: genug, enough. | Their message to the German leader: genug, enough. |
| In many cases local governments have proved unable to cope with the large numbers. | In many cases local governments have proved unable to cope with the large numbers. |
| “The mood is changing, and fast,” said a senior official from Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union. At a meeting of the party’s executive committee on Monday, state and local representatives made it clear they were overwhelmed by the masses. | “The mood is changing, and fast,” said a senior official from Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union. At a meeting of the party’s executive committee on Monday, state and local representatives made it clear they were overwhelmed by the masses. |
| “Every mayor likes to be a good German, as long as the refugees are not put into his gym,” the source said. | “Every mayor likes to be a good German, as long as the refugees are not put into his gym,” the source said. |
| 9.11am BST09:11 | 9.11am BST09:11 |
| Frontex, the EU’s border agency, has been hit by a drastic shortage of border guards in the Greek islands, on the land border between Greece and Turkey, Bulgaria and Turkey and along the Hungarian border with Serbia, according to a report by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. | Frontex, the EU’s border agency, has been hit by a drastic shortage of border guards in the Greek islands, on the land border between Greece and Turkey, Bulgaria and Turkey and along the Hungarian border with Serbia, according to a report by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. |
| Last April, EU heads of state signed off the €26.8m emergency grant at a high-level summit in what was portrayed as Europe uniting in its response to mass tragedies in the Mediterranean. | Last April, EU heads of state signed off the €26.8m emergency grant at a high-level summit in what was portrayed as Europe uniting in its response to mass tragedies in the Mediterranean. |
| The money was supposed to allow Frontex to lease border guards and equipment from member states who would then be compensated by Frontex with the extra funds ... | The money was supposed to allow Frontex to lease border guards and equipment from member states who would then be compensated by Frontex with the extra funds ... |
| Frontex officials admitted to the Bureau it “badly need(s) border guards on the Greek islands, border guards and technical equipment on the land border between Greece and Turkey, Bulgaria and Turkey and, crucially along the Hungarian border with Serbia.” | Frontex officials admitted to the Bureau it “badly need(s) border guards on the Greek islands, border guards and technical equipment on the land border between Greece and Turkey, Bulgaria and Turkey and, crucially along the Hungarian border with Serbia.” |
| Offers of key personnel and equipment from member states “are still very scarce”, said a Frontex spokeswoman. | Offers of key personnel and equipment from member states “are still very scarce”, said a Frontex spokeswoman. |
| Senior Frontex officials have warned that it may even be forced to hand some of the cash back to the Commission. | Senior Frontex officials have warned that it may even be forced to hand some of the cash back to the Commission. |
| Frontex’s deputy director Gil Arias-Fernández told the Bureau that having the money was “useless” if it did not have the equipment to spend it on. | Frontex’s deputy director Gil Arias-Fernández told the Bureau that having the money was “useless” if it did not have the equipment to spend it on. |
| The Bureau also found that despite more than two million refugees amassing in Turkey and planning their dangerous trips across the borders, Frontex has not had a single member of staff based there gathering intelligence about smugglers. | The Bureau also found that despite more than two million refugees amassing in Turkey and planning their dangerous trips across the borders, Frontex has not had a single member of staff based there gathering intelligence about smugglers. |
| Frontex issued this response: | Frontex issued this response: |
| “Each member state has the sufficient capacity to handle border control, but when the migratory pressure becomes exceptionally high, they might require additional assistance of either technical equipment or specialised border guards. The role of Frontex is to coordinate the deployment of such additional assets and human resources from other EU/Schengen Area countries, as described in our founding regulation.” | “Each member state has the sufficient capacity to handle border control, but when the migratory pressure becomes exceptionally high, they might require additional assistance of either technical equipment or specialised border guards. The role of Frontex is to coordinate the deployment of such additional assets and human resources from other EU/Schengen Area countries, as described in our founding regulation.” |
| 8.58am BST08:58 | 8.58am BST08:58 |
| Another migrant boat heading to Greece from Turkey is reported to have sunk, according to AFP. | Another migrant boat heading to Greece from Turkey is reported to have sunk, according to AFP. |
| At least 13 migrants including four children trying to reach Greece drowned Tuesday when their boat from Turkey sank in international waters, local media reported. | At least 13 migrants including four children trying to reach Greece drowned Tuesday when their boat from Turkey sank in international waters, local media reported. |
| Turkish coastguards rescued 205 migrants from the wooden boat which set off from Turkish holiday resort town of Datca in the southwest for the Greek island of Kos, the private Dogan news agency said. The nationalities of the migrants are not yet known. | Turkish coastguards rescued 205 migrants from the wooden boat which set off from Turkish holiday resort town of Datca in the southwest for the Greek island of Kos, the private Dogan news agency said. The nationalities of the migrants are not yet known. |
| Rescue efforts were still continuing, according to the news agency. | Rescue efforts were still continuing, according to the news agency. |
| There has been a dramatic spike in the numbers of migrants - mainly from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africa - seeking to leave Turkey in rickety boats for Greece in the hope of finding new lives in the European Union. | There has been a dramatic spike in the numbers of migrants - mainly from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africa - seeking to leave Turkey in rickety boats for Greece in the hope of finding new lives in the European Union. |
| At least 13 #migrants drown as boat capsizes in #Aegean Sea http://t.co/icNl8b3AYl pic.twitter.com/yURgJOMYvP | At least 13 #migrants drown as boat capsizes in #Aegean Sea http://t.co/icNl8b3AYl pic.twitter.com/yURgJOMYvP |
| At least 34 people, including 15 children, drowned when their overcrowded boat capsized in high winds off a Greek island on Sunday. | At least 34 people, including 15 children, drowned when their overcrowded boat capsized in high winds off a Greek island on Sunday. |
| 8.45am BST08:45 | 8.45am BST08:45 |
| Human rights observers have been ordered to leave Hungary’s border crossing with Serbia, according to Tirana Hassan, director of crisis response at Amnesty International. | Human rights observers have been ordered to leave Hungary’s border crossing with Serbia, according to Tirana Hassan, director of crisis response at Amnesty International. |
| Army told us to leave #Roszke border & can't photograph police. Helicopter buzzing, dogs, riot police. Europes response to ppl fleeing war? | Army told us to leave #Roszke border & can't photograph police. Helicopter buzzing, dogs, riot police. Europes response to ppl fleeing war? |
| Earlier she photographed riot police arriving at the border which she characterised as “Fortress Europe”. | Earlier she photographed riot police arriving at the border which she characterised as “Fortress Europe”. |
| #Roszke border w Serbia closed. #Refugee say "please we just want safety". 3 units of riot police arrive in reponse. pic.twitter.com/wT2Mbn9LbS | #Roszke border w Serbia closed. #Refugee say "please we just want safety". 3 units of riot police arrive in reponse. pic.twitter.com/wT2Mbn9LbS |
| Welcome to fortress Europe - literally #Hungary #Roszke pic.twitter.com/5oCNow2KTI | Welcome to fortress Europe - literally #Hungary #Roszke pic.twitter.com/5oCNow2KTI |
| 8.39am BST08:39 | 8.39am BST08:39 |
| The main official border crossing point between Serbia and Hungary was closed to migrants on Tuesday, the UN’s refugee agency has confirmed. | The main official border crossing point between Serbia and Hungary was closed to migrants on Tuesday, the UN’s refugee agency has confirmed. |
| At midnight, it shut the crossing near Roszke, leaving hundreds of migrants to queue with no apparent hope of entering. | At midnight, it shut the crossing near Roszke, leaving hundreds of migrants to queue with no apparent hope of entering. |
| “The border was shut and has yet to re-open,” UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told AFP from the border. | “The border was shut and has yet to re-open,” UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told AFP from the border. |
| “Our staff do not have access, and the Hungarian authorities have not let us know about any schedule they have for re-opening the border,” he added. | “Our staff do not have access, and the Hungarian authorities have not let us know about any schedule they have for re-opening the border,” he added. |
| Roszke, #Hungary: People been brought at train station mostly used for cargo. Families been here since midnight pic.twitter.com/xTCYL6Zhdd | Roszke, #Hungary: People been brought at train station mostly used for cargo. Families been here since midnight pic.twitter.com/xTCYL6Zhdd |
| 8.29am BST08:29 | 8.29am BST08:29 |
| First arrests under Hungary's border crackdown | First arrests under Hungary's border crackdown |
| The first arrests have occurred under Hungary’s new border laws, according to Reuters. | The first arrests have occurred under Hungary’s new border laws, according to Reuters. |
| Hungarian police detained nine Syrian and seven Afghan migrants early on Tuesday for illegally crossing the Serbian border fence, a police spokeswoman said. | Hungarian police detained nine Syrian and seven Afghan migrants early on Tuesday for illegally crossing the Serbian border fence, a police spokeswoman said. |
| Police spokeswoman Viktoria Csiszer-Kovacs said the migrants were suspected of lifting the razor wire fence to get into Hungary, which constitutes a crime under the new laws that took effect at midnight. | Police spokeswoman Viktoria Csiszer-Kovacs said the migrants were suspected of lifting the razor wire fence to get into Hungary, which constitutes a crime under the new laws that took effect at midnight. |
| Under the new system Hungary has designated Serbia as a safe country so if asylum seekers have entered from Serbia without already applying for asylum there – they face automatic expulsion within eight days. | Under the new system Hungary has designated Serbia as a safe country so if asylum seekers have entered from Serbia without already applying for asylum there – they face automatic expulsion within eight days. |
| 8.17am BST08:17 | 8.17am BST08:17 |
| Hungarian MEP Gyorgy Schopflin has defended his country’s tough new border laws. | Hungarian MEP Gyorgy Schopflin has defended his country’s tough new border laws. |
| He said Hungary could not cope with the “flood” of people arriving. “It is this shock that I think the government is dealing with,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He suggested that the new controls would help calm tension in Hungary. “The more the refugees come in this uncontrolled flood, the more the anti-refugee sentiments arises,” he said. | He said Hungary could not cope with the “flood” of people arriving. “It is this shock that I think the government is dealing with,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He suggested that the new controls would help calm tension in Hungary. “The more the refugees come in this uncontrolled flood, the more the anti-refugee sentiments arises,” he said. |
| Schopflin, a member of the Fidesz the party founded by Hungary’s anti-immigration prime minister Viktor Orban, also rejected the idea of EU quotas for resettling refugees. He said: “We don’t know if we want the commission to impose obligatory quotas. Voluntary is another story.” | Schopflin, a member of the Fidesz the party founded by Hungary’s anti-immigration prime minister Viktor Orban, also rejected the idea of EU quotas for resettling refugees. He said: “We don’t know if we want the commission to impose obligatory quotas. Voluntary is another story.” |
| Schopflin said the “silent majority” of Europeans did not welcome more refugees despite the visible welcome made by many members of the public. | Schopflin said the “silent majority” of Europeans did not welcome more refugees despite the visible welcome made by many members of the public. |
| And he insisted that it was this public rejection that had forced Germany to reintroduce border controls. Schopflin also claimed that the number refugees arriving was a threat to security and some of Europe’s core values. He said: “If you have a large number of unassimilated recently-arrived migrants, they are potentially capable of destabilising law and order which of course puts the whole of democracy and liberalism in danger.” | And he insisted that it was this public rejection that had forced Germany to reintroduce border controls. Schopflin also claimed that the number refugees arriving was a threat to security and some of Europe’s core values. He said: “If you have a large number of unassimilated recently-arrived migrants, they are potentially capable of destabilising law and order which of course puts the whole of democracy and liberalism in danger.” |
| 7.57am BST07:57 | 7.57am BST07:57 |
| The border crackdown in Hungary comes a day after the authorities reported a new record number of migrants. The Hungarian police said they intercepted 9,380 people entering Hungary on Monday, a sharp rise the previous record set the day before. | The border crackdown in Hungary comes a day after the authorities reported a new record number of migrants. The Hungarian police said they intercepted 9,380 people entering Hungary on Monday, a sharp rise the previous record set the day before. |
| 7.42am BST07:42 | 7.42am BST07:42 |
| Summary | Summary |
| Welcome to live coverage of the continuing refugee crisis gripping Europe as laws to criminalise migrants in Hungary come into force. | Welcome to live coverage of the continuing refugee crisis gripping Europe as laws to criminalise migrants in Hungary come into force. |
| Here’s a roundup of the latest developments: | Here’s a roundup of the latest developments: |
| Updated at 7.43am BST | Updated at 7.43am BST |