European leaders are trying to cope with the massive influx of people — migrants and refugees alike — pouring across their borders.
More than 430,000 migrants have fled to Europe so far this year, the International Organization for Migration said. Many are escaping warfare, terrorism and poverty from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea.
Migrants typically cross the Mediterranean and try to go through Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and Austria before finally reaching Germany or other European countries known to be welcoming to refugees.
The European Union is still trying to figure out how to distribute 160,000 migrants — and whether to set quotas for member countries to absorb them.
That number includes 40,000 from Italy and Greece that the EU had already agreed to relocate. Another 120,000 need placement.
Here are some of the latest developments:
Clashes at Hungarian-Serbian border
At Horgos, Serbia, on the border with Hungary, some migrants began demonstrating, saying they were giving Hungarian authorities two hours to open the gate before they attempted to break through.
When the group followed through on the threat, Hungarian security forces, who had brought in armored vehicles, responded with the tear gas and water cannons.
The crowds of migrants were left stranded in Serbia after Hungary sealed off the border.
Hungary calls on Serbia to control ‘aggressive’ migrants
Hungary Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó spoke by telephone with his Serbian counterpart to ask that the “Serbian authorities take immediate action against the group of aggressive immigrants.”
According to a statement by Hungary, the foreign minister “drew his Serbian colleague’s attention to the fact that a group of migrants is continually throwing stones and pieces of concrete at Hungarian police stationed at the Röszke border crossing station. In view of the fact that migrants are performing the attacks from the territory of Serbia, Mr. Szijjártó strongly requested Ivica Dacic to act to ensure that the Serbian authorities take immediate action against the group of aggressive immigrants.”
Closed Hungarian border has migrants finding new routes
Following the closure of the border with Hungary, throngs of refugees in Serbia are heading instead for Croatia, in the west, as an alternative route into Western Europe.
Croatian authorities apprehended 373 foreign nationals, including 75 women and 73 children, for illegally crossing the country’s eastern border, the Croatian Interior Ministry said Wednesday.
In a tweet, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said his country was “ready to accept people.”
The office for the mayor of Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, confirmed Wednesday, that mayor Milan Bandic asked the city’s residents to host refugee families in their homes.
Austria-Germany train route stopped
Trains from Salzburg, Austria, to Freilassing, Germany, will be suspended until midnight on September 21, the German train authority Deutsche Bahn said Wednesday.
The route from Salzburg to Freilassing is the main rail line for refugees headed into Munich. There are border controls in place in Freilassing so migrants have to register with border police when they cross, whether by car, train or on foot.
Austria announces border control measures
Austrian Interior Ministry spokesman Karl-Heinz Grundboeck confirmed that Austria has started border control measures to the south near Slovenia after migrants appeared to be veering away from the Hungarian border toward Austria.
France ready to put temporary border controls in place soon
France will not hesitate to reestablish temporary border controls in the coming days or coming weeks, if necessary, French Prime Minister, Manuel Vals, said Wednesday.
Border controls had already been reinforced in the past months in the southeastern city of Menton, near the Italian border, a key crossing from migrants coming from Italy.
Slovenia thinking about border controls, too
Slovenia is considering reinstating temporary border controls with Hungary to its east, the Slovenian Press Agency said Wednesday.
Google offers donation to help stem crisis
Google announced it will match the first $5.5 million donated globally to help migrants, up to a combined $11 million.