Macedonia yesterday allowed about 170 refugees to cross its border with Greece as 10,000 more were left waiting at the border under miserable conditions, Greek officials said.
It was the first group of Syrians and Iraqis permitted to continue their desperate journey to Europe since dawn on Monday, when another 300 were let through before the frontier was closed.
At the Greek border crossing of Idomeni, local officials said there were 7,000 people in two camps operated by aid groups, with another 3,000 camping in the surrounding fields.
Photo: Reuters
Over the past few days, aid groups have reported a shortage of food and tents, saying that the wet weather was taking a toll on the refugees, many of whom have children.
The EU will yesterday was to announce plans for emergency aid to Greece, which is struggling to cope after Balkan states imposed a tight daily limit on the number of migrants allowed into their territory.
It is the bloc’s first distribution of humanitarian cash to member states rather than foreign countries.
Greece has asked for about 480 million euros (US$520 million) to help shelter 100,000 .
“I believe that we will be able to act in a few days,” German European Commissioner Gunther Oettinger told ZDF TV, adding that he expected Greece to receive hundreds of millions of dollars.
News reports said the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, was expected to announce plans for a total of 700 million euros — 300 million for this year and a further 200 million next year and in 2018 — and that it would be available to all states, not just Greece.
EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides said on Twitter that he would propose “an instrument for emergency assistance inside the EU” and call on all member states to contribute further.
A Greek source said that about half the aid Athens is seeking from the EU would go on accommodating 50,000 refugees in camps, while the rest would go to hotels and lodgings.
Greece says looking after the migrants will require about 8,200 officials — police, firefighters, medical staff, field workers and translators.
Meanwhile, top NATO General Philip Breedlove accused Russia and Syria of “weaponizing” the massive influx of people fleeing the Syrian conflict in a bid to destabilize the West.
While Greece remains the main entry point for migrants — 1.13 million of whom have entered the EU since the start of last year — the effects have been felt across the EU.
In the French port of Calais, demolition workers set about razing makeshift shelters in the “Jungle” migrant camp for a third day under close watch of dozens of police officers equipped with water cannon. The camp has become a magnet for people hoping to reach Britain.
Officials have tried to convince inhabitants to leave voluntarily and move to better accommodation provided for them, but many refused.
There has been no repeat of the violent clashes that erupted on Monday, but some remained defiant in the face of the bulldozers.
Officials say the demolition will affect between 800 and 1,000 people, although charities working there say there are more than 3,450 people in the southern half of the camp being demolished, including 300 unaccompanied children.
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