Over 200 migrants on Thursday tried to break through barbed wire fences to cross from Greece into Macedonia, which imposed new border restrictions last week, throwing stones at police, AFP reporters said.
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Rights groups have questioned the policy, warning asylum should be granted on merit, not on the basis of nationality.
About 1000 so-called economic refugees are protesting at the Greek-Macedonian border, following the decision by the authorities in Skopje not to allow other refugees besides those from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq to enter the country.
Balkan countries have clamped down at their borders to stem the largely unchecked stream of people, leaving tens of thousands stranded in Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia.
In protest, several began a hunger strike on Monday, Nov. 23, sewing their mouths shut.
Milos Bicanski/Getty Images Iranian migrants huddle together in blankets and jackets amid cool temperatures near Idomeni, Greece.
They took the step as hundreds of refugees, many from Iran and Morocco, protested for a fourth successive day at the border near the village of Idomeni.
“The Greeks aren’t telling us anything”, he said.
The government this week said it was encouraging people with no chance of getting across the border to turn back, and would provide transportation, but Shabani said this was not the case.
Muiznieks said that “voluntary solidarity has not worked so we need rules-based solidarity”.
Millman also cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would house 20,000 Syrian refugees until 2020.
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About 858,805 refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia have arrived in Europe so far this year by sea, while 3,548 have died or gone missing, according to IOM figures.
