Greece rejects Austrian minister’s visit

Series Title
Series Details 26.02.16
Publication Date 26/02/2016
Content Type

Migration tensions between EU Member States intensified on the 26 February 2016, with the Greek government refusing a visit from Austria's interior minister to discuss the tensions between the two countries.

Johanna Mikl-Leitner had warned that if Greece could not secure the external borders of the EU, then other countries would have to take action.

On the same day Greece asked its passenger ferry companies and travel agencies to cut back on bringing migrants and refugees from frontline islands to the mainland and said its own chartered ships would stay put for a few days.

Hundreds of refugees on the 29 February 2016 tried to break through a border fence into Macedonia from Greece, as anger mounted over barriers to entry imposed on migrants flooding into Europe.

On the 1 March 2016 the European Commission said that it was 'very concerned' that refugees had been tear-gassed on the Macedonian border with Greece.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.thelocal.at/20160226/greece-rejects-austrian-ministers-visit-in-ongoing-migration-row
Related Links
ESO: Background Information: Meeting: Justice and Home Affairs Council, 25 February 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/meeting-justice-and-home-affairs-council-25-february-2016/
ESO: Background information: Austrian restrictions trigger domino effect across Balkan refugee route http://www.europeansources.info/record/austrian-restrictions-trigger-domino-effect-across-balkan-refugee-route/
BBC News, 26.02.16: Greece slows migrant flow from islands to Athens http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35667769
Kathimerini, 26.02.16: Greece seeks to stem migrant flow from islands to mainland http://www.ekathimerini.com/206379/article/ekathimerini/news/greece-seeks-to-stem-migrant-flow-from-islands-to-mainland
Kathimerini, 26.02.16: Athens snubs Mikl-Leitner's request to visit Athens http://www.ekathimerini.com/206376/article/ekathimerini/news/athens-snubs-mikl-leitners-request-to-visit-athens
Euro|Topics: Debates: February 2016: EU interior ministers for more border controls http://www.eurotopics.net/en/154619/eu-interior-ministers-for-more-border-controls
UN: UNHCR: News, 25.02.16: Grandi warns of critical refugee bottleneck in Greece http://www.unhcr.org/56ced9a56.html
The Local.at, 29.02.16: Violence at border injures policeman http://www.thelocal.at/20160229/violence-at-border-injures-policeman
EUObserver, 29.02.16: Migrant tensions flare at Macedonian-Greek border https://euobserver.com/migration/132503
EurActiv, 01.03.16: Commission ‘very concerned’ after refugees tear-gassed at border http://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/news/commission-very-concerned-after-refugees-tear-gassed-at-border/
Politico, 29.02.16: Macedonia: Balkan route will shut down if Austria hits migrant cap http://www.politico.eu/article/macedonia-president-warning-austria-migrant-cap-refugees-influx/
The Guardian, 01.03.16: Greece's refugee crisis: PM says country is overwhelmed http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/01/greeces-refugee-crisis-pm-says-country-is-overwhelmed
Euro|Topics: Debates, February / March 2016: Refugee crisis: Time is running out for Europe http://www.eurotopics.net/en/154706/refugee-crisis-time-is-running-out-for-europe
EUObserver, 01.03.16: Faymann: 'Austria isn't a waiting room for Germany' https://euobserver.com/migration/132521
The Local.at, 29.02.16: Austria rejects 'absurd' criticism of migrant policy http://www.thelocal.at/20160229/austria-rejects-absurd-criticism-of-migrant-policy
EUObserver, 03.03.16: EU leaders continue war of words on refugees https://euobserver.com/migration/132537
Spiegel Online International, 26.02.16: Refugee Crisis Disunity: A De Facto Solution Takes Shape in the Balkans http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/european-response-to-refugee-crisis-fracturing-a-1079547.html
Spiegel Online International, 04.03.16: New Fences on the Old Continent: Refugee Crisis Pushes Europe to the Brink http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/border-closures-spell-refugee-back-up-in-greece-a-1080643.html
The Guardian, 05.03.16: EU acting like ‘human trafficker’ of refugees, says Austrian minister http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/05/rebel-austria-accuses-eu-human-trafficker-sebastian-kurz-angela-merkel

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