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Angela Merkel criticises closure of Balkan routes for migrants

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Angela Merkel criticises closure of Balkan routes for migrants
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticised European nations for “unilaterally” closing Balkan routes for migrants as stranded refugees complain about their inability to continue their journeys further into Europe due to restrictions.
Merkel informed that she had to put Greece in a “very difficult situation” and such decisions should be taken by the whole of the EU.
Countries such as Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and non-EU members Serbia and Macedonia have all enacted strong restrictions to stem the migrant flow.
 
 
On the other hand, the EU and Turkey, from where migrants reach Greece, have set out a plan to ease the crisis which is the worst in Europe since World War Two.
All migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey would be sent back and for each Syrian returned, a Syrian in Turkey would be resettled in the EU under new proposals hammered out at a summit in Brussels on Monday but still to be finalised.
European Council President Donald Tusk has said the plan would spell the end of “irregular migration to Europe”.

The move to close the Balkan route began with Austria announcing it would limit the number of migrants crossing its border.

Then, late on Tuesday, Slovenia said it would allow in only migrants who planned to seek asylum in the country, or those with clear humanitarian needs.

Serbia and Croatia quickly announced similar border restrictions. Then on Wednesday, Macedonia, which had slowed the number of migrants crossing its border with Greece to a trickle, shut it completely.

Some 14,000 migrants are now left stranded in a sprawling tent camp at the Idomeni crossing.

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