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Austria Weighs Building Border Fence to Stem Flow of Migrants Austria Weighs Building Border Fence to Stem Flow of Migrants
(about 4 hours later)
BERLIN — Austria is considering building a fence along its border with Slovenia to help control the influx of migrants heading north through Europe, the country’s interior minister said on Wednesday, but she emphasized that the structure was intended to establish order rather than to close the border.BERLIN — Austria is considering building a fence along its border with Slovenia to help control the influx of migrants heading north through Europe, the country’s interior minister said on Wednesday, but she emphasized that the structure was intended to establish order rather than to close the border.
The move came against the backdrop of rising tensions among members of the European Union struggling to cope with the flow of migrants and refugees through the Balkans and toward Germany, Sweden and other countries, which is straining the resources of even the wealthiest nations.The move came against the backdrop of rising tensions among members of the European Union struggling to cope with the flow of migrants and refugees through the Balkans and toward Germany, Sweden and other countries, which is straining the resources of even the wealthiest nations.
Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the Austrian interior minister, said she had ordered her office to begin exploring possibilities for a “solid, technical barrier several kilometers long.”Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the Austrian interior minister, said she had ordered her office to begin exploring possibilities for a “solid, technical barrier several kilometers long.”
Pressed about the issue on Austrian public television on Wednesday, she said, “Of course it is about a fence.”Pressed about the issue on Austrian public television on Wednesday, she said, “Of course it is about a fence.”
Hungary completed a 108-mile razor-wire fence along its border with Serbia last month, after squalid encampments sprouted across the region over the summer. European Union leaders denounced the move as contrary to the principles on which the bloc was founded, and they said it was reminiscent of the decades the Continent was divided between the communist East and the democratic West.Hungary completed a 108-mile razor-wire fence along its border with Serbia last month, after squalid encampments sprouted across the region over the summer. European Union leaders denounced the move as contrary to the principles on which the bloc was founded, and they said it was reminiscent of the decades the Continent was divided between the communist East and the democratic West.
With as many as 8,000 migrants entering Austria each day, the southern crossing at Spielfeld, across the border with Slovenia, has been overwhelmed by the crush. Some migrants have been left no option but to sleep in an outdoor parking lot because of a lack of transportation and housing.With as many as 8,000 migrants entering Austria each day, the southern crossing at Spielfeld, across the border with Slovenia, has been overwhelmed by the crush. Some migrants have been left no option but to sleep in an outdoor parking lot because of a lack of transportation and housing.
“It is a question of what the fence is for,” said Karl-Heinz Grundböck, a spokesman for the Austrian Interior Ministry. “It is not about generally closing off the border, but we are trying to control the situation and ensuring the security with large numbers of people. We want to avoid escalation.”“It is a question of what the fence is for,” said Karl-Heinz Grundböck, a spokesman for the Austrian Interior Ministry. “It is not about generally closing off the border, but we are trying to control the situation and ensuring the security with large numbers of people. We want to avoid escalation.”
The authorities in Slovenia said they were watching the developments, and Prime Minister Miro Cerar warned that his country was ready to “deploy various obstacles” of its own, along Slovenia’s border with Croatia, if necessary.
“Slovenia does not want to see walls erected between European states,” Mr. Cerar said on Wednesday after a National Security Council meeting in Ljubljana, the capital, on the migrant crisis.
But if “forced,” he said, Slovenia will act along its border “to significantly curb the flow of migrants and help direct them to designated crossing points, and manage the influx more efficiently.”
Slovenia’s border with Croatia forms the southern frontier of the 26-nation Schengen area allowing visa-free travel.
Slovenia complained bitterly in the past week that Croatia had taken migrants to its border with Slovenia and left thousands of them in a field and on a riverbank, telling them to make their own way to Slovenia, rather than coordinating the movement of large groups of people with its neighbor.
Many of the migrants entering Austria are intent on continuing their journey north to Germany. On Wednesday, the German interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, harshly criticized Austria, accusing it of essentially waving refugees into Germany and even of bringing groups unannounced at night to the border with Bavaria.Many of the migrants entering Austria are intent on continuing their journey north to Germany. On Wednesday, the German interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, harshly criticized Austria, accusing it of essentially waving refugees into Germany and even of bringing groups unannounced at night to the border with Bavaria.
Mr. de Maizière said that “intensive contacts” with the government in Vienna had yielded promises that the situation would be brought under control. “I expect that to happen immediately,” he added.Mr. de Maizière said that “intensive contacts” with the government in Vienna had yielded promises that the situation would be brought under control. “I expect that to happen immediately,” he added.
Commentators have noted increasing rancor in exchanges between Germany and Austria, which have been close allies for decades, and say it illustrates how severely the refugee crisis could test even the strongest of ties.Commentators have noted increasing rancor in exchanges between Germany and Austria, which have been close allies for decades, and say it illustrates how severely the refugee crisis could test even the strongest of ties.
Federal police officers in the Bavarian town of Passau said 5,500 refugees had arrived from Austria overnight.Federal police officers in the Bavarian town of Passau said 5,500 refugees had arrived from Austria overnight.
“We were full up to the roofs,” said Frank Koller, a regional police spokesman.“We were full up to the roofs,” said Frank Koller, a regional police spokesman.
In recent days, he said, migrants have been arriving at the border by bus, usually starting at noon and continuing for 10 hours. The authorities scramble to evacuate shelters, Mr. Koller added, putting refugees on special trains and buses for dispersal across Germany so that the makeshift accommodations are ready for the next arrivals.In recent days, he said, migrants have been arriving at the border by bus, usually starting at noon and continuing for 10 hours. The authorities scramble to evacuate shelters, Mr. Koller added, putting refugees on special trains and buses for dispersal across Germany so that the makeshift accommodations are ready for the next arrivals.
Mr. Koller added that nighttime temperatures had fallen to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2 degrees Celsius, and that the main concern was “that people do not spend more time out in the open than is necessary.”Mr. Koller added that nighttime temperatures had fallen to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2 degrees Celsius, and that the main concern was “that people do not spend more time out in the open than is necessary.”
In contrast with Bavarian officials, who have complained about Austria’s policy on migrants, Mr. Koller said the police in Passau had a good working relationship with their Austrian counterparts.In contrast with Bavarian officials, who have complained about Austria’s policy on migrants, Mr. Koller said the police in Passau had a good working relationship with their Austrian counterparts.
But the overall strain on the region was clear in an unusually harsh commentary from the liberal German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, which is published in Bavaria.But the overall strain on the region was clear in an unusually harsh commentary from the liberal German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, which is published in Bavaria.
“The chaotic conditions at the border must be ended as soon as possible,” the newspaper wrote on Wednesday, “if only because they are undermining the trust of citizens in their state.”“The chaotic conditions at the border must be ended as soon as possible,” the newspaper wrote on Wednesday, “if only because they are undermining the trust of citizens in their state.”
Speaking in Vienna, Mr. Grundböck said that migrants were growing increasingly weary of waiting to cross into Germany through official channels. After making their way on foot through several European countries, many have taken matters into their own hands, crossing into Germany without waiting to be processed by the authorities in Bavaria, he said.Speaking in Vienna, Mr. Grundböck said that migrants were growing increasingly weary of waiting to cross into Germany through official channels. After making their way on foot through several European countries, many have taken matters into their own hands, crossing into Germany without waiting to be processed by the authorities in Bavaria, he said.
The situation on Austria’s southern border with Slovenia has become similarly tense over recent days, with hundreds waiting in the open to get into Austria.The situation on Austria’s southern border with Slovenia has become similarly tense over recent days, with hundreds waiting in the open to get into Austria.
Slovenia, which has asked other European Union states to provide 400 extra police officers, has received only a meager response.Slovenia, which has asked other European Union states to provide 400 extra police officers, has received only a meager response.
Hundreds of refugees spent the night outside in Spielfeld, on the Austrian side of the border with Slovenia. Some sent their families back to Slovenia to try to find a bed in heated tents.Hundreds of refugees spent the night outside in Spielfeld, on the Austrian side of the border with Slovenia. Some sent their families back to Slovenia to try to find a bed in heated tents.
There are not enough public transportation links to take refugees through Austria, so many new arrivals are hiring taxis, meaning that there is an unregistered flow of migrants into the country, and possibly continuing into Germany.There are not enough public transportation links to take refugees through Austria, so many new arrivals are hiring taxis, meaning that there is an unregistered flow of migrants into the country, and possibly continuing into Germany.