This triggered a similar response from the countries down the line: Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia. This meant that hundreds of people were stranded, either because they are from other countries, including Iran, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan, or because they do not have identity papers.
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About 1,300 migrants gathered in the Greek town Idomeni protested Saturday against the decision by Macedonian authorities across the border to turn away migrants who are not from war zones such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
For his part, Serbian labour and social affairs minister Aleksandar Vulin said Thursday his country had no choice but to respond.
“We need to protect our country, which is why we are applying these reciprocal measures against those who Croatia and Slovenia consider have no place in their countries”, Vulin said.
Balkan states have little capacity to accommodate asylum seekers who are prevented from continuing their journey.
Macedonia is already building a wire fence near Gevgelija, along its border with Greece, to manage the flow of migrants.
“We’re trapped. … They won’t let my family across”.
Slovenia – the next country in the chain – also said it has been turning back the so-called economic migrants.
Several hundred refugees were caught by surprise by the sudden decisions and left “stuck in a No man’s land”, said a spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR.
Slovenian media say that some 70 migrants from Morocco and Ivory Coast have been turned back by the Slovenes in the past few days.
Slovenia has started imposing selection criteria, leading to concerns that migrants might change routes via Bulgaria, where conditions are even more precarious, IOM spokesman Joel Millman said. Slovenia later allowed them to proceed towards Austria.
“It is important that every individual who is seeking asylum has access to a fair and efficient asylum procedure, regardless of their nationality”, the spokeswoman said. “UNHCR does not think that there is any nation that can be excluded from global protection… each case individually should be screened”.
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It is unclear what the new requirements mean for Eritreans. After arriving in Greece, refugees – a lot of them Syrians fleeing war – have sought passage to central Europe through western Balkan countries.
