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Migrant crisis: Croatian PM says country cannot stop migrants Migrant crisis: Croatia closes border crossings with Serbia
(about 3 hours later)
The Croatian prime minister has said his country cannot stop migrants who wish to move on to Western Europe. Croatia has closed seven of its eight road border crossings with Serbia following a huge influx of migrants.
Zoran Milanovic said Croatia had "limited capacity" but would try to register as many as possible. Officials in Zagreb said they had no choice after more than 10,000 people entered the country a day after Hungary fenced off its border with Serbia.
Authorities say at least 11,000 migrants have entered Croatia in two days after Hungary closed its border, blocking the previous route to the EU. Meanwhile, Slovenia said it had stopped a group of migrants on a train and would return them to Croatia.
Scuffles broke out in two locations on the border with Serbia as people grew frustrated after hours of waiting. Huge numbers of people heading north from the Mediterranean have created a political crisis in the European Union.
Crowds briefly broke through police lines at Tovarnik and Batina as thousands of people waited for transport on from the border. Croatian officials said roads leading to the border crossings had also been shut.
Late on Thursday Croatian officials announced they were closing roads leading to seven border crossings with Serbia. The BBC's Guy Delauney in Zagreb says the closures have cut off the main land route from Greece to northern Europe.
Croatia's interior minister says the country is "absolutely full". Croatia has tried to take people to asylum centres but the overwhelming numbers mean that many people have been left on the streets, he says.
Migrants arriving by train at a Croatian town near the Hungarian border were encouraged to spend the night at a former military base. Some have told the BBC they plan to walk north to neighbouring Slovenia which is in the EU's border-free Schengen Area.
EU leaders are to hold an emergency summit next week to discuss the crisis. On Thursday, Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic said his country was "absolutely full".
He said his message to the migrants was: "Don't come here any more. Stay in refugee centres in Serbia and Macedonia and Greece. This is not the road to Europe. Buses can't take you there. It's a lie."
Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said the country had "limited capacity".
Scuffles broke out in two locations on the border with Serbia on Thursday after people were left waiting for hours for transport further north.
Crowds briefly broke through police lines at Tovarnik and Batina - two of the crossings now closed.
The BBC's Lyse Doucet, at Tovarnik, said buses arrived just before midnight but not enough to transport everyone. Drivers said people were being taken to a reception centre. Thousands of people left behind are spending the night sleeping on roadsides and in fields.
There was a mad rush as the first train for 24 hours pulled in on Thursday evening, she adds.
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On Thursday evening, Slovenian police said they had stopped a train carrying over 100 refugees at Dobova on the border with Croatia. An official told Reuters they would be returned to Croatia. It was Hungary's decision to seal its border with Serbia that triggered the move by thousands of migrants, who had travelled to Serbia via Macedonia and Greece, to try to reach Western Europe via Croatia instead.
Slovenia, like Hungary, is within the borderless Schengen zone. Officials have said they will not allow Slovenia to be a "corridor" to other EU countries to the north. Images of Hungarian police trying to disperse people with tear gas and water cannon have been criticised by the United Nations' top human rights official.
As night fell, large numbers of migrants were still at the station at Tovarnik, across the border from the Serbian town of Sid, waiting for buses or trains to continue their journey into Croatia. Hungarian media reported on Thursday that migrants were crossing from Croatia into Hungary at Illocska, thus avoiding the razor-wire fence on Hungary's border with Serbia.
The BBC's Lyse Doucet, at Tovarnik, described a mad rush as the first train for 24 hours pulled in on Thursday evening. Hungary says it will now extend its fence along its border with Romania.
Earlier in the day, police had struggled to control the crowd of several thousand, trapped in the baking sun with little food or water. Late on Thursday, Slovenian police said they had stopped a train carrying asylum seekers at Dobova on the border with Croatia.
In the afternoon, buses began taking migrants to another station to travel on to Zagreb. "During a regular border control of the train... it was established that 150 out of the 300 passengers did not meet the requirements for entering Slovenia," a border police spokesman told journalists.
At the northernmost crossing between Croatia and Serbia, the River Danube separates Batina, on the Croatian side of the border, from the Serbian town of Bezdan. He said they would be returned to Zagreb as soon as possible.
The BBC's Lucy Williamson witnessed thousands of jubilant migrants streaming across the bridge and through the border, into Croatia and the EU. Those on board the train shouted their dissatisfaction at journalists and at nearby police officers who were patrolling with dogs. Slovenian radio said 16 police vehicles had been sent to the station.
Many of the migrants said they intended to walk to Slovenia, Croatia's neighbour to the north-west.
Hungary's decision to close its border with Serbia and use water cannon and tear gas to repel migrants on Wednesday was criticised by the United Nations' top human rights official.
It was this decision that triggered the move by thousands of migrants, who had travelled to Serbia via Macedonia and Greece, to try to reach Western Europe via Croatia instead.
Hungarian media have reported that dozens of migrants were crossing from Croatia into Hungary at Illocska, within 50km (30 miles) of Bezdan - thus avoiding the fence on Hungary's border with Serbia.
Meanwhile Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto says the country will extend its fence along the border with Romania.
EU regulations dictate the refugees must register and claim asylum in the first member state they reach. But many migrants and refugees wish to continue on to Germany and Austria, and do not wish to seek asylum in smaller, less well-off EU nations such as Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia.EU regulations dictate the refugees must register and claim asylum in the first member state they reach. But many migrants and refugees wish to continue on to Germany and Austria, and do not wish to seek asylum in smaller, less well-off EU nations such as Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia.
Separately on Thursday, the EU called a leaders' summit on migration on 23 September. The EU has called a leaders' summit on the crisis for 23 September.
The European Parliament voted to back plans for the mandatory relocation of 120,000 refugees around the EU, but interior ministers from EU countries have not so far been able to reach agreement on the plan. The European Parliament has voted to back plans for the mandatory relocation of 120,000 refugees around the EU, but interior ministers from EU countries have not so far been able to reach agreement on the plan.
Germany and France are in favour of the proposals - but Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are among several EU members which are strongly opposed.Germany and France are in favour of the proposals - but Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are among several EU members which are strongly opposed.
However, on Thursday the Czech prime minister indicated his country could voluntarily offer asylum to around 10,000 refugees - far more than the 1,500 the Czech Republic has so far agreed to accept.However, on Thursday the Czech prime minister indicated his country could voluntarily offer asylum to around 10,000 refugees - far more than the 1,500 the Czech Republic has so far agreed to accept.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.