Hungary to Close Its Border With Croatia in Migrant Crackdown
- 9 years ago
Hungary said on Friday that it would close its border with Croatia at midnight to control the flow of thousands of migrants and refugees across Europe.
The Hungarian foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, told reporters in Budapest that his country was taking the action after completing construction of a razor-wire fence along the 216-mile border and because the European Union had yet to come up with a comprehensive plan to deal with the flow of migrants.
Speaking after a meeting of the Hungarian national security committee, Mr. Szijjarto said the government had told Croatia, as well as Austria, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, about its decision to seal the border.
The official border crossings would remain open, refugees seeking to cross would be sent to a transit center to begin the long process of applying for asylum; two transit centers will be opened along the Croatian border.
The Hungarian foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, told reporters in Budapest that his country was taking the action after completing construction of a razor-wire fence along the 216-mile border and because the European Union had yet to come up with a comprehensive plan to deal with the flow of migrants.
Speaking after a meeting of the Hungarian national security committee, Mr. Szijjarto said the government had told Croatia, as well as Austria, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, about its decision to seal the border.
The official border crossings would remain open, refugees seeking to cross would be sent to a transit center to begin the long process of applying for asylum; two transit centers will be opened along the Croatian border.