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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| The Latest: Slovenia not ready to take down razor-wire fence | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| ATHENS, Greece — The Latest on Europe’s migration crisis (all times local): | ATHENS, Greece — The Latest on Europe’s migration crisis (all times local): |
| 5:50 p.m. | |
| The Slovenian government says the country will only take down most of the razor-wire fence along its border with Croatia when it is fully convinced that the deal between the European Union and Turkey is working and the flow of migrants along the Balkans has stopped. | |
| The office of Prime Minister Miro Cerar said Monday that Slovenia is still likely to keep the fence standing at certain parts of the border but could replace it with a different kind of obstacle. | |
| The Slovenian statement says the obstacles have helped police control the border. | |
| Croatia has repeatedly protested against the border fence between the two EU countries, which was erected by Slovenia last year at the height of Europe’s migrant crisis. More than half a million migrants have passed through Slovenia since last fall. | |
| __ | |
| 4:05 p.m. | |
| The Human rights group Amnesty International says the European Union’s deal to send thousands of migrants back to Turkey is flawed because Turkey cannot be considered a safe country. | |
| The head of Amnesty’s EU office, Iverna McGowan, said Monday that the deal struck in Brussels last week “is seriously legally and morally flawed.” | |
| She told The Associated Press that “Turkey does not offer adequate protection to anyone.” Turkey is already home to 2.7 million Syrian refugees, and Amnesty says Syrians are routinely forced back across the border. | |
| McGowan also called the living conditions of refugees in Turkey are also “woefully inadequate.” | |
| ___ | |
| 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. |
| The European Union border control agency Frontex says it’s seeking 1,500 police officers and 50 readmissions officers from the bloc’s member states to help Greece return migrants to Turkey. | The European Union border control agency Frontex says it’s seeking 1,500 police officers and 50 readmissions officers from the bloc’s member states to help Greece return migrants to Turkey. |
| The announcement Monday comes after the 28-member bloc and Turkey reached a deal last Friday under which migrants who arrive in Greece will be returned to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if they make a failed asylum request. | The announcement Monday comes after the 28-member bloc and Turkey reached a deal last Friday under which migrants who arrive in Greece will be returned to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if they make a failed asylum request. |
| Greece does not have enough officials to process all the asylum-seekers flooding across the Aegean Sea from Turkey. | Greece does not have enough officials to process all the asylum-seekers flooding across the Aegean Sea from Turkey. |
| Frontex executive director Fabrice Leggeri said “Frontex can only return people once the Greek authorities have thoroughly analyzed each individual case and issued a final return decision.” | Frontex executive director Fabrice Leggeri said “Frontex can only return people once the Greek authorities have thoroughly analyzed each individual case and issued a final return decision.” |
| ___ | ___ |
| 3 p.m. | 3 p.m. |
| Germany saw the highest level of net immigration of foreigners since World War II last year due to the refugee crisis. | Germany saw the highest level of net immigration of foreigners since World War II last year due to the refugee crisis. |
| The Federal Statistical Office says almost two million foreigners were newly registered in Germany in 2015. Some 860,000 foreigners left the country, resulting in net migration of 1.14 million foreigners to Germany. | The Federal Statistical Office says almost two million foreigners were newly registered in Germany in 2015. Some 860,000 foreigners left the country, resulting in net migration of 1.14 million foreigners to Germany. |
| Immigration figures were boosted by the arrival of almost 1.1 million asylum-seekers last year. | Immigration figures were boosted by the arrival of almost 1.1 million asylum-seekers last year. |
| The statistical office said Monday that arrivals were 49 percent higher than in 2014, while departures rose 12 percent compared to the previous year. | The statistical office said Monday that arrivals were 49 percent higher than in 2014, while departures rose 12 percent compared to the previous year. |
| The number of foreigners registered in Germany rose to 9.11 million from 8.15 million in one year, taking into account births, deaths and naturalizations. | The number of foreigners registered in Germany rose to 9.11 million from 8.15 million in one year, taking into account births, deaths and naturalizations. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 1:35 p.m. | 1:35 p.m. |
| Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed European countries for their criticism of human rights and media freedoms in Turkey, accusing them of failing to protect refugee rights and of supporting Kurdish rebels, who he says are behind a spate of terror attacks in Turkey. | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed European countries for their criticism of human rights and media freedoms in Turkey, accusing them of failing to protect refugee rights and of supporting Kurdish rebels, who he says are behind a spate of terror attacks in Turkey. |
| Erdogan on Monday also criticized Western countries for rejecting Turkish proposals for the creation of a no-fly zone or secure zones in Syria, which he said would have prevented Europe’s refugee crisis. | Erdogan on Monday also criticized Western countries for rejecting Turkish proposals for the creation of a no-fly zone or secure zones in Syria, which he said would have prevented Europe’s refugee crisis. |
| Erdogan says “all those who have not accepted a no-fly zone and a zone cleared of terror in Syria, and everyone who complains about the refugees are two-faced and hypocritical.” | Erdogan says “all those who have not accepted a no-fly zone and a zone cleared of terror in Syria, and everyone who complains about the refugees are two-faced and hypocritical.” |
| Erdogan said Turkey had agreed to a refugee deal with the EU to prevent Syrian refugees from being subjected to “derogatory treatment” at European borders. | Erdogan said Turkey had agreed to a refugee deal with the EU to prevent Syrian refugees from being subjected to “derogatory treatment” at European borders. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 1:20 p.m. | 1:20 p.m. |
| Serbian police say they have arrested eight people for smuggling migrants across the border to Hungary. | Serbian police say they have arrested eight people for smuggling migrants across the border to Hungary. |
| Police said Monday they are suspected of organizing accommodations, transfers and the smuggling of seven illegal migrants from Turkey and Syria to Hungary for 5,250 euros ($5,910). | Police said Monday they are suspected of organizing accommodations, transfers and the smuggling of seven illegal migrants from Turkey and Syria to Hungary for 5,250 euros ($5,910). |
| Human trafficking has soared in the Balkans as nations have closed down their borders recently to migrants hoping to reach the European Union after fleeing war and poverty at home. | Human trafficking has soared in the Balkans as nations have closed down their borders recently to migrants hoping to reach the European Union after fleeing war and poverty at home. |
| Hungary last year built a razor-wire fence along its southern border with Serbia, but smugglers still guide migrants through the holes in the wire or over the fence. Migrants are also hidden in trucks or in overcrowded vans — and many end up being double-crossed by the smugglers and never reach their destinations. | Hungary last year built a razor-wire fence along its southern border with Serbia, but smugglers still guide migrants through the holes in the wire or over the fence. Migrants are also hidden in trucks or in overcrowded vans — and many end up being double-crossed by the smugglers and never reach their destinations. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 1 p.m. | 1 p.m. |
| Monitors from Turkey have arrived on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios to help supervise an agreement aimed limiting the number of refugees flowing into the European Union via smugglers’ boats. | Monitors from Turkey have arrived on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios to help supervise an agreement aimed limiting the number of refugees flowing into the European Union via smugglers’ boats. |
| The officers arrived Monday and were to stay for at least one week, as Greek authorities scrambled to implement the landmark deal reached last week between the EU and Turkey that includes faster refugee relocations to European countries as well as collective deportations of migrants from Greek islands back to Turkey. | The officers arrived Monday and were to stay for at least one week, as Greek authorities scrambled to implement the landmark deal reached last week between the EU and Turkey that includes faster refugee relocations to European countries as well as collective deportations of migrants from Greek islands back to Turkey. |
| Greece’s conservative opposition criticized the Turkish arrivals, a controversial topic as Greece and Turkey have ongoing boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea. | Greece’s conservative opposition criticized the Turkish arrivals, a controversial topic as Greece and Turkey have ongoing boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea. |
| Government figures released Monday said the number of stranded refugees in Greece exceeded 50,000 with no significant letdown in the number of daily arrivals. | Government figures released Monday said the number of stranded refugees in Greece exceeded 50,000 with no significant letdown in the number of daily arrivals. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |