The desperation of the European migrant crisis is growing not just on the part of refugees but also on the part of countries trying to handle them.
European Union members have agreed to allow military action to intercede ships used by traffickers smuggling migrants across the Mediterranean Sea, an EU source said Monday.
“This important transition will enable the EU naval operation against human smugglers and traffickers in the Mediterranean to conduct boarding, search, seizure and diversion on the high seas of vessels suspected of being used for human smuggling or trafficking, within international law,” the European Council said in a statement.
At least 2,800 migrants have died or disappeared this year trying to get across the Mediterranean to Europe. Over the weekend, 34 died when a migrant boat capsized near the small Greek island of Farmakonisi.
The chaos gets worse: Germany, the most welcoming country in the refugee crisis, says it might have to take 1 million migrants this year while also clamping down on its border to stymie the flow.
As a result, neighbor Austria says it, too, will introduce reinforced border controls starting Monday. Austrian armed forces are deploying 2,200 soldiers Monday to help with humanitarian aid, security work and border police work, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said.
EU officials will gather Monday in Belgium to discuss how to handle the mess — and whether countries should have mandatory quotas for accepting more migrants.
Here’s the latest on the emergency spreading across Europe:
Germany clamps down
As many as 10,000 migrants are arriving in Germany per day, German Interior Ministry spokesman Tobias Plate said. About 16,000 migrants have flooded the city of Munich alone in just two days.
Germany — which had committed to taking in 800,000 migrants this year — might have to take in 1 million, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said Monday.
With the relentless stream of migrants, Germany is now implementing temporary border controls for “security reasons urgently necessary,” the country’s interior minister said.
“The goal of this measure is to restrict the present inflow of migrants into Germany and return again to an orderly process upon entry,” Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Sunday.
Germany stopped train traffic to and from Austria from Sunday until Monday morning, Austrian Federal Railways said.
The controls also include border police checking all the cars coming through for identification. Officials then immediately decide whether to allow anyone with Syrian and Iraqi identification to come through.
Death toll rises
A day after a migrant boat capsized off the Greek island of Farmakonisi, officials are finding more bodies.
The death toll rose to 34, including 10 children, duty officer Vasiliki Patsioura of the Hellenic Coast Guard said.
The coast guard said it rescued 99 people from the vessel that capsized in the Aegean Sea.
Another record wave
A record number of migrants crossed into Macedonia over the weekend, said Alexandra Krause of the UNHCR — the U.N. refugee agency.
About 8,600 people crossed from Greece to Macedonia from Saturday until Sunday, Krause said from the border Monday.
Many migrants are trying to make the arduous journey from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan to Germany. To do so, they travel through Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria and then Germany.
Mandatory quotas possible
So how many migrants should EU countries take in?
Interior ministers from EU countries will meet Monday in Belgium to discuss possible mandatory quotas.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has proposed mandatory quotas for EU countries to take in 120,000 refugees who were already in Italy, Greece and Hungary — on top of plans made in May to relocate 40,000 from Italy and Greece.
Germany is on board with the proposals, which must be agreed upon by other EU member states.
Britain announces more help
The British government announced Monday it has appointed a minister to oversee the resettling 20,000 Syrian refugees.
“Richard Harrington will be responsible for coordinating and delivering work across Government to resettle up to 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK, along with coordinating the provision of Government support to Syrian refugees in the region,” the government said.
The UK also announced it is increasing its aid for refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey to £1 billion ($1.5 million).
The £40 million will be allocated to the United Nations and nongovernmental organization partners working in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, including British aid agencies such as Save the Children, providing shelter, food, relief packages, health and protection services as well as cash assistance — giving individuals the freedom to decide how best to cover their needs.
‘Open your heart and help someone’
On Monday, Fatima Kurdi pleaded for the international community to do more to help those escaping the daily carnage and war-torn countries.
A photo of the body of Kurdi’s toddler nephew, Aylan Kurdi, forced the world to take notice of the refugee crisis. His brother and mother also died trying to escape Syria.
“It is too late for my family, for Aylan, but they need all your help,” Fatima Kurdi said at a rally in Brussels, shortly before the EU interior ministers were due to meet on the crisis.
“We need action — a plan to make it happen urgently. And I hope you all understand it could happen to anyone’s family. Open your heart and help someone.”
