Authorities in north-west Turkey have rounded up some 1,300 migrants allegedly preparing to make their way into Greece, according to reports.
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But many of them use Turkey as a springboard to Europe, paying people smugglers between $800 and $1,500 for a spot on a crammed, rickety boat to one of the Greek islands, and beyond.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says her country’s forces in Afghanistan will do more to train local security agencies to deal with human trafficking and other issues related to people fleeing to seek asylum elsewhere.
“There’s a good chance they could block people entering from Syria”, where a brutal war the has killed more than 225,000 people rages on, he said.
Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas told Reuters that European Union states should show Greece understanding and that suspending it from Schengen would not be helpful: “The problem is definitely there and I do know that we need to work together to solve it. But building fences between us is not a long-term solution”.
Small groups of people from countries such as Iran, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been blockading the crossing since Wednesday.
Back in September, EU interior ministers approved the principle of sharing 160,000 refugees between member states over the next two years despite opposition by Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia to mandatory quotas.
Twenty three suspects have been arrested in raids targeting an organised crime gang believed to have smuggled thousands of migrants into Europe, the European Union’s police agency has said.
The EU accepted to pay €3 billion for the refugees living in Turkey and to re-open accession talks, in exchange for a Turkish promise to act against migrant trafficking.
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He expressed hope that the number of asylum-seekers Italy relocates to other countries will double in the next few weeks.
