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Migrant crisis: Slovenia braces as Hungary shuts border | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Hundreds of migrants have arrived in Slovenia by bus from Croatia, after Hungary shut its border with Croatia to try to stem the numbers arriving en route to Western Europe. | |
Hungary closed its Croatia frontier on Friday and now says it is reintroducing controls on its Slovenia border. | |
Many of the migrants aim to continue north to Austria and Germany. | Many of the migrants aim to continue north to Austria and Germany. |
Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, many travelling from Turkey to Greece. | Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, many travelling from Turkey to Greece. |
However more than 3,000 have perished trying to cross the Mediterranean. Many migrants are Syrians fleeing the civil conflict there. | However more than 3,000 have perished trying to cross the Mediterranean. Many migrants are Syrians fleeing the civil conflict there. |
Hungary said it shut the border with Croatia after European Union leaders failed to agree its plan to send a force to prevent migrants reaching Greece. | Hungary said it shut the border with Croatia after European Union leaders failed to agree its plan to send a force to prevent migrants reaching Greece. |
Hungary's closure of its border with Croatia comes just a month after it shut its frontier with Serbia, which was another transit route to Western Europe. | |
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said border controls with Slovenia would be temporarily reinstated to safeguard Hungary from a "mass wave of unidentified, uncontrolled migrants." | |
Hungary and Slovenia are both part of the passport-free Schengen zone, but Croatia is not. | Hungary and Slovenia are both part of the passport-free Schengen zone, but Croatia is not. |
At the scene: BBC's Guy Delauney in Croatia | |
The quiet Croatian town of Cakovec is preparing for a new role - as a railhead for refugees. | |
Thousands of them are expected to come through here in the coming days, following Hungary's completion of a fence along its border with Croatia. Now as many as 5,000 people a day will have to use an alternative route into the Schengen area. | |
They will arrive by train from reception areas close to Croatia's border with Serbia. Then they will be split into groups. Some will go by bus to the border crossing with Slovenia at Macelj. But the majority will travel on by train to another crossing at Sredisce ob Dravi. | |
Red Cross and UNHCR workers welcomed those who arrived on Saturday afternoon - as an already long journey has become that little bit more complicated. | |
Can deeds match words?: The challenges ahead for the EU and Turkey | |
The pull of Europe: Five migrant stories | |
Merkel under pressure: Chancellor's migrant policy faces criticism at home | |
Focus on Turkey: Why the EU views Syria's northern neighbour as key | |
Crisis in graphics: Migration numbers explained | |
Until Friday night, 5,000 to 8,000 people were being allowed across Hungary every day, without registration, bound for Austria. | Until Friday night, 5,000 to 8,000 people were being allowed across Hungary every day, without registration, bound for Austria. |
There are fears in Slovenia, a nation of some two million people, that the latest border closure will channel many more migrants through the country. | There are fears in Slovenia, a nation of some two million people, that the latest border closure will channel many more migrants through the country. |
Extra police had been deployed to the border with Croatia, Slovene Interior Minister Vesna Gjorkos Znidar said. | Extra police had been deployed to the border with Croatia, Slovene Interior Minister Vesna Gjorkos Znidar said. |
But the country will keep accepting refugees as long as Austria and Germany's borders remain open, she said. | But the country will keep accepting refugees as long as Austria and Germany's borders remain open, she said. |
Slovenia's national security council met on Saturday. | |
All passenger rail transport from Croatia has already been stopped. | All passenger rail transport from Croatia has already been stopped. |
Those arriving by road will be transferred to a migrant centre near the Austrian border after a registration procedure, AP quoted police spokeswoman Suzana Raus as saying. | Those arriving by road will be transferred to a migrant centre near the Austrian border after a registration procedure, AP quoted police spokeswoman Suzana Raus as saying. |
The past month has seen some 3,000 migrants pass through Slovenia, Reuters news agency reported. Slovenia has said it was in a position to accommodate up to 8,000 migrants per day. | The past month has seen some 3,000 migrants pass through Slovenia, Reuters news agency reported. Slovenia has said it was in a position to accommodate up to 8,000 migrants per day. |
Late on Friday, several hundred migrants who arrived near the border village of Zakany minutes before the deadline were the last to be allowed through from Croatia into Hungary. | |
"Closure!" a soldier shouted after the last travellers had passed across. | "Closure!" a soldier shouted after the last travellers had passed across. |
"We know that this is not the best, but only the second-best solution," Mr Szijjarto said on Friday when announcing the closure. Migrants could still apply for asylum in Hungary at two border transit zones, he added. | |
The border posts at Beremend and Letenje are also open for anyone with valid documents. | The border posts at Beremend and Letenje are also open for anyone with valid documents. |
Croatia's Interior Minister, Ranko Ostojic, said his country was "turning the route, the corridor, towards Slovenia". | |
But it had not struck any agreement with Slovenia, according to Mr Ostojic. "This is (purely) a Croatian plan." | But it had not struck any agreement with Slovenia, according to Mr Ostojic. "This is (purely) a Croatian plan." |
BBC Balkans correspondent Guy Delaunay says this plan will only work as long as Slovenia allows refugees to enter. | |
If Slovenia did completely shut its borders, then Croatia would be faced with an influx of around 5,000 refugees a day - and nowhere to send them, our correspondent says. | If Slovenia did completely shut its borders, then Croatia would be faced with an influx of around 5,000 refugees a day - and nowhere to send them, our correspondent says. |
Have you been affected by the migration crisis? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | Have you been affected by the migration crisis? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |