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Refugees continue on overland route through Europe despite winter

Below freezing temperatures and the threat of border closures are not deterring refugees from continuing their journeys across Greece, Macedonia and the Balkans as the European Union struggles to stem the flow of asylum seekers still pouring into the West.
The Associated Press ·
Refugees make their way through a frozen field near the village of Miratovac, Serbia, after crossing the border from Macedonia on Jan. 18, 2016. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

Winter weather further complicates overland route to Western Europe

Refugess continue to journey across Macedonia and the Balkans on the overland route from Greece to wealthier European Union countries despite worsening conditions. 

Liene Veide (not pictured), a spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency, said around 2,000 migrants continue to cross from Macedonia into Serbia daily, even as temperatures dip below -19 C.

Many refugees arriving in Miratovac, Serbia, have pneumonia, fever and other illnesses while many more are without winter clothing or boots, according to the UN refugee agency. Most refuse hospitalization and insist on pressing on with their journeys. (Armend Nimani/AFP/Getty)

Flow of asylum seekers has continued despite some EU countries trying to stem the flow

Refugee children wait at a reception centre in Presevo, Serbia, for papers that will grant them passage on a train to the Serbian-Croatian border on Jan. 25. (Milos Bicanski/Getty)

The borders of Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia reopened to northbound asylum seekers last week… 

Greek police are asking refugees to state on their ID papers which country they are heading for. Only those bound for Austria or Germany are being permitted to pass across Balkan borders. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

but only to those whose stated their final destination as Germany or Austria

The limitation follows a new Austrian cap on the number of refugees it wants to accept — 37,500 this year and a total of 127,500 through 2019.

The German government also wants the number of migrants coming to the country to fall significantly after almost 1.1 million asylum seekers arrived in 2015.

Changes to German and Austrian policies have shook up migration patterns along the Balkan route, adding an additional sense of urgency to cross through the Balkans ahead of fears the borders will shut permanently. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel says the flow of refugees has slowed this year, but a further reduction is needed. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

Greece blamed for failing to stem the tide of refugees

Macedonian authorities, along with Balkan states Serbia and Croatia, have taken aim at Greece for what they say is that country's failure to control its Mediterranean island borders. 

Slovenia, another country on the Balkan migration route, has urged its EU partners to provide "maximum assistance to the Macedonian authorities" by sending border police from the integrated Frontex security agency there to deal with the crisis.

Several EU nations have said they will close their borders, forcing incoming refugees to stay in Greece in protest of what some see as its failure to control the number of people entering Europe via that country. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)
More than one million people from countries like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan entered Europe last year in what has been called the biggest migration to the continent since the Second World War. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees with papers permitted to pass

In November, Macedonia and other Balkan countries imposed a first check on transient migrants, excluding all but Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans, whom they deem refugees and not economic migrants.

A refugee, one of a group of several hundred who crossed the border at night on Jan. 17, walks along a road after entering Serbia from Macedonia. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

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