Thousands of refugees are suddenly stranded along the Greek-Macedonian border on Tuesday after Macedonian officials passed new restrictions blocking their passage north, DW reports.
As many as 8,000 are trapped along the frontier, as well as at the port of Piraeus. Macedonia's response is due to the knock-on effect of countries to the north either closing their borders or otherwise restricting the flow of refugees that can pass through, according to the report.
The move was also prompting countries to the south to begin allowing the passage of refugees through their own borders. Austria is now planning its own mini-summit with its Western Balkan neighbors on Wednesday.
While there is now growing concern about what will happen in Greece – as refugees are beginning to accumulate there - the EU and Turkey are due to hold a special summit in early March in an effort stem the migration crisis, DW reported.
But the flow of refugees continues. It is reported that another 1,250 refugees arrived in Athens by ferry from three Greek islands on Tuesday morning.
The junior interior minister for migration, Yiannis Mouzalas, said Athens is desperately trying to negotiate an end to the crisis by exerting pressure at the "European and bilateral level."
