Greek riot police struggled to restore order Thursday after chaotic clashes between asylum-seekers at the country’s border with Macedonia, where thousands seeking a new life in the European Union have seen their long trek north brought to an abrupt halt by closed borders and new rules.
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Meanwhile, noting that as a result of restrictions imposed by the authorities along the Western Balkans route, tensions have been rising at the border between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia, the United Nations refugee agency has called on the authorities of both countries to manage the border in a manner consistent with human rights and refugee-protection principles.
The death was the first casualty at the Greek-Macedonian land border, though more than 3,000 people have drowned in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas trying to reach Europe by boat.
Since November 27, the IOM indicated that Greek authorities have been shuttling between 50-100 stranded migrants every day to a reception facility which can host up to 350 people in the Elliniko area of Athens. Macedonia has been allowing only people from the three countries to cross. Diplomats and European Union officials say some governments have raised the possibility informally but it would be a largely symbolic move, with little impact on migration.
Hours before EU interior ministers are to meet on Friday to consider what to do about Greece’s inability to stem the flow of refugees and others streaming toward Europe’s rich north, the Athens government finally heeded calls from Brussels and agreed to accept European aid and foreign border guards.
“It is not said officially, but there is pressure”, Greek Migration Minister Yannis Mouzalas told reporters, denying a Financial Times report yesterday that Athens had, among other things, refused an European Union offer of devices created to share the identity data of incoming migrants around the bloc.
The Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban said it would follow neighbouring Slovakia in filing a complaint at the European Court of Justice against the plan.
A group of migrants using wood and metal and empty barrels to make a roadblock 120 meters back from the Greek and Macedonian border are preventing all Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi refugees from passing into the area. They also stressed that only Greek forces would physically patrol and guard the border. “We’ve organized ‘return missions, ‘ for example to Pakistan; they’ve been rejected by the Pakistani state”, the minister said.
Other ministers and the Commission welcomed Greece’s decision to accept more help from Frontex.
Mouzalas said the FT report reflected “commonly used” criticisms against Greece “by these member states”, without naming the states.
In recent days Macedonia has stopped allowing anyone except those from countries at war such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, who are considered refugees, to cross into the country from Greece.
Mouzalas told euronews that those reports were “a lie”, insisting Athens had asked for reinforcements from Frontex, the EU’s border agency.
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The refugee crisis has hit Europe hard during the last several months and especially Greece, which is one of the main gateways through Turkey.
