Photograph: Antonio Bronic/Reuters
In the latest development on the migrant crisis, the small nation of Croatia has apparently closed seven of its eight road border crossings with Serbia following a huge influx of migrants.
Officials in Zagreb state that they had no choice after more than 10,000 people entered the country a day after Hungary fenced off its border with Serbia. Meanwhile, Slovenia said it had stopped a group of migrants on a train and would return them to Croatia. Huge numbers of people heading north from the Mediterranean have created a political crisis in the European Union.
Croatian officials stated that roads leading to the border crossings had also been shut. The crossing on the main road linking Belgrade and Zagreb – at Bajakovo – appeared to be the only one left open.
Croatia has tried to take people to asylum centres but the overwhelming numbers mean that many people have been left on the streets, he says. Some have told to the media that they plan to walk north to neighbouring Slovenia which is in the EU’s border-free Schengen Area.
On Thursday, Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic said his country was “absolutely full”. He said his message to the migrants was: “Don’t come here any more. Stay in refugee centres in Serbia and Macedonia and Greece. This is not the road to Europe. Buses can’t take you there. It’s a lie.”
