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Refugees enter Croatia from Serbia after Hungary blocks border Refugees enter Croatia from Serbia after Hungary blocks border
(about 1 hour later)
The first group of refugees and migrants have entered into Croatia from Serbia, taking a new route through Europe after Hungary locked down its border with Serbia. The biggest mass-migration Europe has seen since the second world war has entered a new stage, as refugees who found their route blocked at Serbia’s border with Hungary moved in large numbers towards Croatia.
At least 100 people were seen walking through cornfields into European Union member Croatia, most having arrived by bus from Serbia’s southern border with Macedonia to the western town of Sid on the Croatian border. For months, over 170,000 mainly Syrian refugees travelling north from Greece have used Hungary as a thoroughfare to the safety of northern and western Europe. But on Tuesday their path was finally blocked by Hungary, who finished fortifying a border fence, enacted new laws criminalising the act of crossing it, and began rejecting asylum applications from people who arrived at the border after midnight on Tuesday morning.
Others pulled up in taxis, with some identifying themselves as Iraqis. Faced with this new obstacle, refugees stuck in Serbia began to head westwards to the as-yet unblocked Croatian border, snubbing their nose at the Europe’s collective attempt to use border closures to stop the flow of refugees. Much of the Serbo-Croatian border follows the path of the river Danube, so Syrians headed instead for the town of Sid, a Serbian border town a few kilometres from a region of Croatia that is accessible by land.
Serbian media reported that at least 10 buses had left for Sid from the southern Serbian town of Preševo, where several thousand people enter every day from Macedonia, streaming north across the Balkan peninsula. Croatian police confirmed they are registering migrants entering from Serbia and warned they will transport them to reception centres near the capital Zagreb.
A journalist on the Croatian side of the border said a first group of migrants had been rounded up by Croatian police and taken away to be registered. A police spokesman in the eastern border county of Vukovarsko-Srijemska said an unspecified number of migrants had crossed into Croatia, after a Reuters cameraman saw at least 100 walking through fields across the border.
The buses would normally run to Serbia’s border with Hungary, but on Tuesday the country in effect blocked its border with Serbia, putting into action its much-heralded fence, declaring a state of emergency in two southern counties, and arresting dozens of people for attempting to cross the border under new laws unveiled last week by the prime minister, Viktor Orbán. A group of 30-40 mostly Syrian or Afghan nationals arrived at Sid early in the morning on Wednesday, according to Al-Jazeera.
Ibrahim, a 26-year-old hairdresser from Hama in Syria, turned back from the Hungarian border early on Wednesday. He was part of a large group taking a bus back to the Serbian capital of Belgrade with the intention of then making for Sid. Others said they would head to another Serbian town, Novi Sad, and then make for Sid. “There are lots of people thinking of going through Croatia or Romania,” said Ibrahim. “When you’re coming from a war, you’ll go by any route, any country.”
Related: Crowds build at border with Serbia as Hungary cracks down on refugeesRelated: Crowds build at border with Serbia as Hungary cracks down on refugees
Serbia responded with a warning that it could not become the dumping ground – or, as its foreign minister put it, “a collection centre” – for Europe’s refugees. Serbia responded to Hungary’s crackdown with a warning that it could not become the dumping ground – or, as its foreign minister put it, “a collection centre” – for Europe’s refugees.
Hungary also announced plans to seal its border with Romania, a move denounced as “not a fair gesture” by the foreign ministry in Bucharest.Hungary also announced plans to seal its border with Romania, a move denounced as “not a fair gesture” by the foreign ministry in Bucharest.
Police said only 367 migrants crossed illegally into Hungary on Tuesday, of whom 316 will be prosecuted for damaging the barbed-wire fence on the border, and 51 people for illegally entering the country.Police said only 367 migrants crossed illegally into Hungary on Tuesday, of whom 316 will be prosecuted for damaging the barbed-wire fence on the border, and 51 people for illegally entering the country.
Austria has introduced security checks along its border with Hungary, a measure it said could be extended to those with Slovenia, Italy and Slovakia if needed.Austria has introduced security checks along its border with Hungary, a measure it said could be extended to those with Slovenia, Italy and Slovakia if needed.
On Tuesday, people confronted by the Hungarian fence at Horgoš said they were considering whether to take different routes through Croatia, Bosnia or Romania. One man said he hoped to cross the Croatian border. In Belgrade, a smuggler offered a ride to Sid.
Migrants and refugees who make it to Croatia hope to reach Slovenia, which is part of Europe’s Schengen zone of border-free travel, and beyond to Austria and Germany.Migrants and refugees who make it to Croatia hope to reach Slovenia, which is part of Europe’s Schengen zone of border-free travel, and beyond to Austria and Germany.
Alert to the possibility, the Croatian interior minister, Ranko Ostojić, said on Tuesday that Zagreb had prepared an emergency plan in the case of an influx of thousands of refugees, but did not give details. “The government will quickly activate that emergency plan if need be,” Ostojić said.Alert to the possibility, the Croatian interior minister, Ranko Ostojić, said on Tuesday that Zagreb had prepared an emergency plan in the case of an influx of thousands of refugees, but did not give details. “The government will quickly activate that emergency plan if need be,” Ostojić said.
The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Tuesday defended her decision to open German borders to unregistered refugees, only to introduce controls on Sunday, saying the impulse was right and had shown Germany’s “friendly, beautiful face” to the world.The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Tuesday defended her decision to open German borders to unregistered refugees, only to introduce controls on Sunday, saying the impulse was right and had shown Germany’s “friendly, beautiful face” to the world.
She rejected claims that her decision had made Europe’s refugee crisis worse by encouraging others to head for Germany, and called for a special EU refugee summit to discuss it response to the crisis.She rejected claims that her decision had made Europe’s refugee crisis worse by encouraging others to head for Germany, and called for a special EU refugee summit to discuss it response to the crisis.
Austria’s chancellor, Werner Faymann, was scathing about Hungary’s shut-out of refugees. “You can’t just stick your head in the sand,” he said, complaining that some countries were passing the buck to others. “It’s about people who have a right to asylum,” he said.Austria’s chancellor, Werner Faymann, was scathing about Hungary’s shut-out of refugees. “You can’t just stick your head in the sand,” he said, complaining that some countries were passing the buck to others. “It’s about people who have a right to asylum,” he said.
Faymann again suggested the eastern European states that shot down a Brussels plan for mandatory refugee quotas should have the money they get from EU structural funds cut. They had failed to understand European solidarity, he said.Faymann again suggested the eastern European states that shot down a Brussels plan for mandatory refugee quotas should have the money they get from EU structural funds cut. They had failed to understand European solidarity, he said.
Germany’s interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, said pressure should be applied to rejectionist nations such as Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.Germany’s interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, said pressure should be applied to rejectionist nations such as Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Reuters contributed to this reportReuters contributed to this report