Hungary to seal external Schengen border with Croatia / Migrants turn to Slovenia after Hungary closes border

Hungary announced on the 16 October 2015 that it would close its border with Croatia at midnight on that day, to stem the flow of migrants and refugees. This followed on from Hungary sealing its borders with Serbia in September 2015.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban had said at the European Council summit in Brussels on the 15 October 2015 that if the EU did not agree to protect Greece’s external borders, he would have to seal the borders with Croatia.

Thousands of refugees arrived in Slovenia from Croatia on the 17 October 2015, searching for a new route to northern Europe after Budapest closed off its border with Croatia. Slovenian authorities organised transport to neighbouring Austria. On the 18 October 2015 Slovenia said it could only allow 2,500 migrants to cross its borders daily - half the number neighbour Croatia had asked for.

• Primary Source

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

ESO: Background information: Visegrad countries discuss sending border guards to Hungary http://www.europeansources.info/record/visegrad-countries-discuss-sending-border-guards-to-hungary/

ESO: Background information: Hungary empowers military to act against refugees http://www.europeansources.info/record/hungary-empowers-military-to-act-against-refugees/

EUObserver, 16.10.15: Hungary to seal border with Croatia https://euobserver.com/migration/130725

ESO: Background information: Meeting: European Council, 15-16 October 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/meeting-european-council-15-16-october-2015/

France24, 16.10.15: Hungary to seal border with Croatia over migrant crisis http://www.france24.com/en/20151016-hungary-close-border-with-croatia-migrant-crisis

Hungary: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: News, 16.10.15: V4 countries also help with protection of southern borders with police personnel http://www.kormany.hu/en/ministry-of-foreign-affairs-and-trade/news/v4-countries-also-help-with-protection-of-southern-borders-with-police-personnel

Deutsche Welle, 18.10.15: Migrants turn to Slovenia after Hungary closes border http://dw.com/p/1GpwF

Politico, 17.10.15: Hungary closes border with Croatia http://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-closes-border-with-croatia-slovenia-turkeyerdogan-merkel-migration-refugees/

BBC News, 18.10.15: Migrant crisis: Slovenia sets limit of 2,500 people a day http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34567247

Today's Zaman, 18.10.15: Thousands stranded on new migrant route through Europe http://www.todayszaman.com/world_thousands-stranded-on-new-migrant-route-through-europe_401858.html

EUObserver, 19.10.15: Balkan bottleneck after Slovenia puts cap on migrants https://euobserver.com/migration/130733

Deutsche Welle 19.10.15: Migrants stuck at borders as officials squabble along Balkan route http://dw.com/p/1Gqc8

UNHCR, 19.10.15: Croatia: Making tracks to Slovenia in the rain [Video] http://www.unhcr.org/emergency/561cc0696-5624f9e39.html

EurActiv, 20.10.15: Sealing of Hungarian borders puts Croatia, Slovenia to the test http://www.euractiv.com/sections/justice-home-affairs/sealing-hungarian-borders-puts-croatia-slovenia-test-318651

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 20.10.15: Refugees stranded in the Balkans http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER171753-Refugees-stranded-in-the-Balkans

The Local.at, 20.10.15: Slovenian army to help 'manage' refugee flow http://www.thelocal.at/20151020/slovenian-army-to-help-manage-refugee-flow

EUObserver, 21.10.15: Slovenia calls in army to help with refugee influx https://euobserver.com/migration/130772

Večer, 21.10.15: Exodus to Europe: Slovenia more civilised than Hungary (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE171774-Exodus-to-Europe-Slovenia-more-civilised-than-Hungary

Večernji list, 21.10.15: Exodus to Europe: Commission only protecting Schengen states (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE171791-Exodus-to-Europe-Commission-only-protecting-Schengen-states

EurActiv, 21.10.15: EU plans to deal with refugee crisis about to fail http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/eu-plans-deal-refugee-crisis-about-fail-318704

Politico, 22.10.15: Orbán says migration crisis ‘destabilizing democracies’ http://www.politico.eu/article/orban-migration-crisis-balkan-avramopoulos/

Politico, 22.10.15: ‘We are in deep trouble’ http://www.politico.eu/article/orban-refugees-hungary-we-are-in-deep-trouble/

Politico, 27.10.15: Slovenia calls in private security to control migrants http://www.politico.eu/article/slovenia-miro-cerar-calls-in-private-security-to-control-refugees-migrants/

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