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| Hungary Detains Migrants in Border Crackdown | Hungary Detains Migrants in Border Crackdown |
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| HORGOS, Serbia — Hungary declared a state of crisis along its border with Serbia early Tuesday, threatening to prosecute and imprison migrants trying to enter the country illegally from Serbia. | |
| The Hungarian measures were a harsh new element in the European Union’s struggle with the influx of migrants, as the bloc’s cherished principle of open borders continued to fray. They also created ripple effects for its neighbors Austria, which many migrants have been trying to reach en route to Germany, and Croatia and Slovenia. | The Hungarian measures were a harsh new element in the European Union’s struggle with the influx of migrants, as the bloc’s cherished principle of open borders continued to fray. They also created ripple effects for its neighbors Austria, which many migrants have been trying to reach en route to Germany, and Croatia and Slovenia. |
| As of midnight, migrants who tried to breach the 109-mile fence made out of razor wire being constructed along Hungary’s border with Serbia faced the threat of arrest and criminal charges. Anyone who damages the recently built fence can be punished with imprisonment or deportation. | As of midnight, migrants who tried to breach the 109-mile fence made out of razor wire being constructed along Hungary’s border with Serbia faced the threat of arrest and criminal charges. Anyone who damages the recently built fence can be punished with imprisonment or deportation. |
| Nonetheless, the Hungarian police said they had caught migrants trying to breach the border fence at three locations on the Serbian border, even after the rules had come into effect. The police said that a record 9,380 migrants were detained on Monday on suspicion of illegally crossing the border. | Nonetheless, the Hungarian police said they had caught migrants trying to breach the border fence at three locations on the Serbian border, even after the rules had come into effect. The police said that a record 9,380 migrants were detained on Monday on suspicion of illegally crossing the border. |
| On Tuesday morning, state television showed a hole in the border fence, apparently cut by a group of migrants. The police detained 16 people, who now face prison terms and expulsion under the new rules. | On Tuesday morning, state television showed a hole in the border fence, apparently cut by a group of migrants. The police detained 16 people, who now face prison terms and expulsion under the new rules. |
| The Hungarian police said Monday evening that border officers would be posted every 35 meters, or about 115 feet, along the entire border, and that they would arrest anyone trying to cross illegally. Scores of judges have been deployed to expedite legal proceedings against migrants charged with breaking the law. | The Hungarian police said Monday evening that border officers would be posted every 35 meters, or about 115 feet, along the entire border, and that they would arrest anyone trying to cross illegally. Scores of judges have been deployed to expedite legal proceedings against migrants charged with breaking the law. |
| In what appeared to be a move to shepherd migrants out of the country, the Hungarian authorities continued overnight to charter trains, carrying about 1,000 migrants at a time, from the border with Serbia to the border with Austria. Migrants were then allowed to cross into Austria, the local news media reported. | In what appeared to be a move to shepherd migrants out of the country, the Hungarian authorities continued overnight to charter trains, carrying about 1,000 migrants at a time, from the border with Serbia to the border with Austria. Migrants were then allowed to cross into Austria, the local news media reported. |
| The Hungarian restrictions began to have a knock-on effect on other countries. | The Hungarian restrictions began to have a knock-on effect on other countries. |
| Austrian authorities said they were preparing for the likelihood that migrants would seek to bypass Hungary and enter Austria via Croatia and then Slovenia. The Austrian Army was set to deploy 2,200 soldiers to patrol the borders, primarily in the eastern state of Burgenland, which borders Hungary and shares short borders with Slovenia and Slovakia. | Austrian authorities said they were preparing for the likelihood that migrants would seek to bypass Hungary and enter Austria via Croatia and then Slovenia. The Austrian Army was set to deploy 2,200 soldiers to patrol the borders, primarily in the eastern state of Burgenland, which borders Hungary and shares short borders with Slovenia and Slovakia. |
| In Hungary, said the new steps to stop illegal border crossings were a response to a problem of “industrial scale.” | |
| “Everybody eligible for asylum will be considered,” Mr. Kovacs said. “But a migrant should not be able to choose freely the country in which they claim asylum. Illegal border crossing has happened on an industrial scale here in Hungary. They’ve arrived in Hungary from 100 different countries, proving that this is a migration crisis and not a refugee crisis.” | “Everybody eligible for asylum will be considered,” Mr. Kovacs said. “But a migrant should not be able to choose freely the country in which they claim asylum. Illegal border crossing has happened on an industrial scale here in Hungary. They’ve arrived in Hungary from 100 different countries, proving that this is a migration crisis and not a refugee crisis.” |
| He added: “As of today, illegal border crossing will be a crime, and a crime is a crime.” | He added: “As of today, illegal border crossing will be a crime, and a crime is a crime.” |
| The moves by Hungary, which has found itself to be an unwilling center of Europe’s migration crisis, are the latest blow to two decades of borderless travel in parts of the European Union, which now has 28 members. On Monday, Austria, Slovakia and the Netherlands followed Germany’s example over the weekend and introduced checks at their borders, effectively suspending Europe’s border-free Schengen Zone. | The moves by Hungary, which has found itself to be an unwilling center of Europe’s migration crisis, are the latest blow to two decades of borderless travel in parts of the European Union, which now has 28 members. On Monday, Austria, Slovakia and the Netherlands followed Germany’s example over the weekend and introduced checks at their borders, effectively suspending Europe’s border-free Schengen Zone. |
| On Monday in Brussels, the European Union failed to agree on a modest plan that would have required countries to distribute 120,000 more migrants across the bloc. | On Monday in Brussels, the European Union failed to agree on a modest plan that would have required countries to distribute 120,000 more migrants across the bloc. |
| The meeting of the bloc’s internal affairs ministers ended without even a semblance of consensus, as countries from Eastern and Central Europe, including Hungary, opposed rules dictating migration policy, which they argue undermine their national sovereignty. | The meeting of the bloc’s internal affairs ministers ended without even a semblance of consensus, as countries from Eastern and Central Europe, including Hungary, opposed rules dictating migration policy, which they argue undermine their national sovereignty. |
| The issue has created an East-West divide, with former Communist countries reticent of accepting a model that many there see as imposing multiculturalism on a region that sees itself as ill equipped to accept and integrate large numbers of migrants. | The issue has created an East-West divide, with former Communist countries reticent of accepting a model that many there see as imposing multiculturalism on a region that sees itself as ill equipped to accept and integrate large numbers of migrants. |
| Mr. Kovacs said that the European Union needed to work to stop migrants from illegally entering the bloc in Greece, which has often been the entry point for people fleeing countries like Afghanistan, Eritrea and Syria. Hungary is eager for illegal migrants to be fended off before they can begin a trail via the western Balkans that eventually passes through Hungary and on to Austria, Germany or other destinations. | Mr. Kovacs said that the European Union needed to work to stop migrants from illegally entering the bloc in Greece, which has often been the entry point for people fleeing countries like Afghanistan, Eritrea and Syria. Hungary is eager for illegal migrants to be fended off before they can begin a trail via the western Balkans that eventually passes through Hungary and on to Austria, Germany or other destinations. |
| The Hungarian position is that, because the migrants have come through nations that the European Commission has asked to be designated as “safe countries,” such as Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey, they are not actually refugees fleeing imminent danger, but rather economic migrants who have no legal right to enter the country. | The Hungarian position is that, because the migrants have come through nations that the European Commission has asked to be designated as “safe countries,” such as Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey, they are not actually refugees fleeing imminent danger, but rather economic migrants who have no legal right to enter the country. |
| Tanjug, the Serbian state news agency, said the numbers of migrants had been building on the Serbian side of the border since Hungary began the new crackdown on Tuesday. The border crossing at Horgos, through which migrants were being allowed to pass as late as midnight, was closed by the Hungarian police shortly after midnight. | Tanjug, the Serbian state news agency, said the numbers of migrants had been building on the Serbian side of the border since Hungary began the new crackdown on Tuesday. The border crossing at Horgos, through which migrants were being allowed to pass as late as midnight, was closed by the Hungarian police shortly after midnight. |
| The Serbian labor minister, Aleksandar Vulin, told Tanjug that Serbia would refuse to accept any migrants who cross into Hungary and are registered there. “We will not keep anybody in our territory by force and, by the same token, won’t accept any country forcibly, without proper legal procedures and readmission, returning anyone to our territory,” Mr. Vulin said. “They are in Hungary’s territory and we expect that the Hungarian state will treat them as it should.” | The Serbian labor minister, Aleksandar Vulin, told Tanjug that Serbia would refuse to accept any migrants who cross into Hungary and are registered there. “We will not keep anybody in our territory by force and, by the same token, won’t accept any country forcibly, without proper legal procedures and readmission, returning anyone to our territory,” Mr. Vulin said. “They are in Hungary’s territory and we expect that the Hungarian state will treat them as it should.” |
| Irena Vojackova-Sollorano, the United Nations representative in Serbia, told Tanjug that the situation along the border was changing hour to hour. She reiterated the international body’s position that people who cross into Hungary should be granted all the relevant protections and not simply turned back to Serbia. | Irena Vojackova-Sollorano, the United Nations representative in Serbia, told Tanjug that the situation along the border was changing hour to hour. She reiterated the international body’s position that people who cross into Hungary should be granted all the relevant protections and not simply turned back to Serbia. |
| “More than 70 percent of the population escaping Syria are refugees,” she said, “running away from a situation that is, for them, a matter of life and death — and it is up to us to do all that we can to help them.” | “More than 70 percent of the population escaping Syria are refugees,” she said, “running away from a situation that is, for them, a matter of life and death — and it is up to us to do all that we can to help them.” |
| Slovenia and Croatia said they were preparing for the possibility of a surge of migrants streaming through their territories to circumvent Hungary en route to Austria. | Slovenia and Croatia said they were preparing for the possibility of a surge of migrants streaming through their territories to circumvent Hungary en route to Austria. |
| In Slovenia, which is both a member of the European Union and of the passport-free Schengen Zone, the authorities said they had noted a slight uptick in cases involving migrants and human trafficking, which they said could increase with the Hungarian restrictions. | In Slovenia, which is both a member of the European Union and of the passport-free Schengen Zone, the authorities said they had noted a slight uptick in cases involving migrants and human trafficking, which they said could increase with the Hungarian restrictions. |
| “In the case of a sudden arrival of large numbers of refugees, Slovenia could give shelter to several thousands and our capacities are being increased daily,” Bostjan Sefic, a ministry spokesman, told Agence France-Presse. He asked local communities to be patient and to provide help to those in need should the numbers exceed the government’s ability to handle them. | “In the case of a sudden arrival of large numbers of refugees, Slovenia could give shelter to several thousands and our capacities are being increased daily,” Bostjan Sefic, a ministry spokesman, told Agence France-Presse. He asked local communities to be patient and to provide help to those in need should the numbers exceed the government’s ability to handle them. |
| In Croatia, Zlatko Sokolar, a senior border police official, told the local news media that 6,000 police officers would be deployed to control the borders, but that, as of Monday afternoon, there were few migrants arriving. | In Croatia, Zlatko Sokolar, a senior border police official, told the local news media that 6,000 police officers would be deployed to control the borders, but that, as of Monday afternoon, there were few migrants arriving. |
| The United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday lamented the European Union’s failure to reach consensus on a plan to distribute migrants across the bloc. | The United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday lamented the European Union’s failure to reach consensus on a plan to distribute migrants across the bloc. |
| “Decisive agreement is needed without further delay to address the needs, as is bold action based on solidarity from all member states,” the agency said in a statement. | “Decisive agreement is needed without further delay to address the needs, as is bold action based on solidarity from all member states,” the agency said in a statement. |