News / EU

Macedonia police fire tear gas at refugees at Greek border

Monday, 29 February 2016 4:31 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 29 February 2016 6:18 PM ]

Refugees run away from tear gas fired by Macedonian police in Idomeni, on February 29, 2016. (AFP photo)

Police in Macedonia have fired tear gas at hundreds of refugees who were trying to break a border fence and get into the Balkan state as anger increased over a daily cap on refugees’ entrants.

Some 300 Iraqi and Syrian refugees tore down the fence on Monday and blocked a railway line, refusing to move while shouting “open the borders.”

Police fired several rounds of tear gas at protesters. The charity Doctors of the World said at least 30 people, including children, needed first aid.

The demonstration came after Macedonia allowed only 300 Iraqi and Syrians to get into its territory. This is part of Macedonia’s new border crossing measure that only accepts 300 refugees each day.

Some 8,000 people are reportedly trapped at the Idomeni camp near Greece’s border with Macedonia. The number of refugees has increased at the camp since last week after Macedonian border officials refused to accept Afghan refugees and applied stricter methods to check Syrian and Iraqi documents.

A child lays on the ground as refugees run away after Macedonian police fired tear gas at hundreds of Iraqi and Syrian refugees in Idomeni, on February 29, 2016. (AFP photo)

Austria and Balkan nations have also agreed to restrict numbers, while Hungary plans to hold a referendum on whether to accept mandatory quotas of refugees.

Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia decided to impose a limit of 580 refugees entering their soil every day. Austria also let only 80 refugees per day and would allow 3,200 refugees to transit the country each day.

On Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized Austria and Balkan states for capping the number of refugees.

"Because Austria decided on a limit of 80 per day, and not one more, we have reached today's situation," said Merkel, adding, "When one insists on his border, the other suffers. That's not my Europe."

Europe is facing an unprecedented influx of refugees, most of whom are fleeing conflict-ridden zones in Africa and the Middle East, particularly Syria.

Many blame support by some Western countries for militants operating in the Middle East as the main reason behind the departure of refugees from their home countries.

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