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Bad weather, border closures add to plight of migrants in Balkans

22 October 2015 01:08 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Refugees from Asian wars crossed into Slovenia from Croatia on Wednesday as border closures elsewhere forced them to find new routes to rich European countries and concern grew over the plight of those stranded in wet, freezing weather, APA reports quoting Reuters.

On the Croatian-Serbian border, thousands of migrants spent the night camped out at the Berkasovo-Bapska crossing after Croatia closed the gates.

And in an indication that refugees and migrants were still desperate to reach Europe before winter weather made sea crossings too perilous, two boatloads landed at a British military base on Cyprus - the first such arrivals on the island.

With many now trapped in deteriorating conditions in the Balkans, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called an extraordinary meeting of several European leaders to take place on Sunday.

Juncker invited the leaders of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.

"In view of the unfolding emergency in the countries along the Western Balkans migratory route, there is a need for much greater cooperation, more extensive consultation and immediate operational action," the commission said in a statement.

Europe's biggest refugee and migrant crisis since World War II has seen hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa this year, with hundreds losing their lives in risky voyages across the Mediterranean.

Hungary sealed its border with Croatia last week, blocking entry with a steel fence and razor wire. Croatia began directing migrants west to Slovenia, which has tried to stem the flow as people looked for new routes and bottlenecks built up through the Balkans.

Both Slovenia and Hungary are part of Europe's passport-free Schengen Area while Croatia is not. Most want to continue their journey on to Austria and Germany, the most popular destination.

Hazem Al Mousa, a 30-year-old Syrian from Aleppo, crossed into Slovenia on Wednesday near the town of Rigonci with his three sisters, brother and 84-year-old grandmother in a wheelchair.

"It is most important that my grandmother gets medical assistance and my sisters go to school and I'll try to find some work," he said. "I am so afraid that Germany will close its borders. I hope we will make it. We keep fighting and let's hope for a miracle."

Traveling with him was Homayoon Hoseini, 16, from Afghanistan, whose parents were killed by the Taliban.

"Some friends in Iran helped me pay for this trip. I want to go Amsterdam and find a school there." he said.

He had spent the night under open skies at the Croatian-Slovenian border.

"It was so cold. We were trying to keep ourselves warm and lit fires but that didn't help. Thank God for the sun today," he said.