The bottleneck of more than 13,000 migrants at the Greek-Macedonian border has added to the urgency at an EU-Turkey summit taking place in Brussels today
ADVERTISEMENTThe bottleneck of more than 13,000 migrants at the Greek-Macedonian border has added to the urgency at an EU-Turkey summit taking place in Brussels today.
With Macedonian officials imposing further restrictions on the number of migrants its allowing through onto its territory, the situation is growing more desperate in cold and wet conditions.
Mohammad Alajoz, a migrant from Aleppo in Syria, told reporters at the Idomeni camp: “I hope they open the border for everyone after this meeting and everyone can go and start a new life, escape from the war and our last life.”
Greece says it has a backlog of more than 30,000 migrants across its territory.
Ahmed, another migrant from Syria, said: “We cannot force the European countries to do something, but they should take care (of us) by humanity.
A reporter asked: “You’re not going back for sure?”
Ahmed replied: “Where do I go? If I go I will die.”
EU officials are warning that the number of migrants in Greece – many of whom want to reach Germany and other countries further north – could swell by more than 10,000 by the end of this month.
More than 11,000 crammed into Idomeni transit camp: confusion, stress, lack of reliable info https://t.co/O8zjl7HzVLpic.twitter.com/Z5oIeLY0xH
— Doctors w/o Borders (@MSF_USA) March 4, 2016
“What did we do to deserve this?” Hoping fading for those at Idomeni: https://t.co/bQw2jwlvf0#Greecepic.twitter.com/jkOtJ39JYj
— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) March 5, 2016
Idomeni: build-up of people who cannot continue journey to FYROM has created a bottleneck https://t.co/lbjlwaLHxepic.twitter.com/kppfJHkNfL
— Doctors w/o Borders (@MSF_USA) March 5, 2016
#Greece: #Idomeni camp is holding 7 times its maximum capacity. pic.twitter.com/KNjPxla0G2
— MSF International (@MSF) March 4, 2016
Nighttime at Idomeni #Greece: Abdul Ali, from Homs, Syria plays the flute he crafted himself + brought from home. pic.twitter.com/1uTC13GYhY
— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) March 4, 2016
The “Barber of #Aleppo“ is bringing dignity back to men trapped in the chaos/mess of #Idomeni with a quality shave. pic.twitter.com/Yj4FEwbomG
— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) March 3, 2016