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| United Nations: Hungary's treatment of refugees shocking and unacceptable | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The UN secretary general has condemned the Hungarian government’s treatment of refugees on its southern border, arguing that the use of teargas, pepper spray and water cannon on people fleeing war and hardship is not acceptable. | The UN secretary general has condemned the Hungarian government’s treatment of refugees on its southern border, arguing that the use of teargas, pepper spray and water cannon on people fleeing war and hardship is not acceptable. |
| Hungary sparked outrage from the international community on Wednesday after firing gas canisters and spraying water at crowds of frustrated refugees who had briefly broken through a border gate in protest at being prevented from crossing from Serbia. | Hungary sparked outrage from the international community on Wednesday after firing gas canisters and spraying water at crowds of frustrated refugees who had briefly broken through a border gate in protest at being prevented from crossing from Serbia. |
| UN chief Ban Ki-moon said: “I was shocked to see how these refugees and migrants were treated. It’s not acceptable ... since they are the people who are fleeing the violence and persecution, we must ensure our compassionate leadership.” | UN chief Ban Ki-moon said: “I was shocked to see how these refugees and migrants were treated. It’s not acceptable ... since they are the people who are fleeing the violence and persecution, we must ensure our compassionate leadership.” |
| Related: Refugee crisis: thousands enter Croatia after Hungary's crackdown – live updates | Related: Refugee crisis: thousands enter Croatia after Hungary's crackdown – live updates |
| Hungary has portrayed its reaction as a legitimate response to an invasion, claiming without giving further details that a known terrorist was among one of the 29 people arrested during the clashes on Wednesday. In response, Serbian politicians condemned what they saw as an infringement of Serbian sovereignty. | Hungary has portrayed its reaction as a legitimate response to an invasion, claiming without giving further details that a known terrorist was among one of the 29 people arrested during the clashes on Wednesday. In response, Serbian politicians condemned what they saw as an infringement of Serbian sovereignty. |
| Serbia’s prime minister accused Hungary of brutal and non-European behaviour and urged the EU to respond. “We will not allow anyone to humiliate us. I call on the European Union to react, for its members to behave in line with European values,” Aleksandar Vučić told Serbian state television. “If the EU does not react, we will find a way to protect our borders and European values as well,” he said. | Serbia’s prime minister accused Hungary of brutal and non-European behaviour and urged the EU to respond. “We will not allow anyone to humiliate us. I call on the European Union to react, for its members to behave in line with European values,” Aleksandar Vučić told Serbian state television. “If the EU does not react, we will find a way to protect our borders and European values as well,” he said. |
| Tensions boiled over after thousands of refugees fleeing wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan began arriving at the Horgoš border crossing between Serbia and Hungary in the hours after Budapest finally sealed it following months of threats to do so. For many refugees, whose understanding of how to navigate Europe is largely gleaned from the more than 170,000 people who had successfully transited through Hungary since the start of the year, the move came as a shock. | Tensions boiled over after thousands of refugees fleeing wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan began arriving at the Horgoš border crossing between Serbia and Hungary in the hours after Budapest finally sealed it following months of threats to do so. For many refugees, whose understanding of how to navigate Europe is largely gleaned from the more than 170,000 people who had successfully transited through Hungary since the start of the year, the move came as a shock. |
| Many do not want to stay in Serbia, since its asylum system does not have the capacity to provide such a large influx with the long-term stability nominally guaranteed to refugees by the 1951 refugee convention. As a result, some of those camped at the Hungarian border believed they had made the dangerous sea journey from Turkey for nothing, causing tensions to spill over. | Many do not want to stay in Serbia, since its asylum system does not have the capacity to provide such a large influx with the long-term stability nominally guaranteed to refugees by the 1951 refugee convention. As a result, some of those camped at the Hungarian border believed they had made the dangerous sea journey from Turkey for nothing, causing tensions to spill over. |
| On Tuesday Croatia, Serbia’s western neighbour, promised to welcome refugees and speed their transit through to northern Europe, raising hopes that tensions on the Hungarian border will be tempered in the coming days. | On Tuesday Croatia, Serbia’s western neighbour, promised to welcome refugees and speed their transit through to northern Europe, raising hopes that tensions on the Hungarian border will be tempered in the coming days. |
| Croatia’s Red Cross said on Thursday that several thousand people had entered in the last 24 hours. “I cannot assess the exact figure, but it is surely several thousand people that entered the country,” said a local spokesperson. “We witnessed more inflow of people overnight.” | Croatia’s Red Cross said on Thursday that several thousand people had entered in the last 24 hours. “I cannot assess the exact figure, but it is surely several thousand people that entered the country,” said a local spokesperson. “We witnessed more inflow of people overnight.” |
| The last official police figure from Wednesday evening was about 1,500 people. Croatia’s interior minister said new measures might be considered as the number of people entering grew. | The last official police figure from Wednesday evening was about 1,500 people. Croatia’s interior minister said new measures might be considered as the number of people entering grew. |
| “Croatian police have full control on the border, but if the migrants continue flowing in from Serbia in large numbers, we will have to consider other ways of handling the situation,” Ranko Ostojić said during a visit to eastern Croatia late on Wednesday. Without specifying, he said the EU would have to handle “hot spots” before the migrants reach Croatia. | “Croatian police have full control on the border, but if the migrants continue flowing in from Serbia in large numbers, we will have to consider other ways of handling the situation,” Ranko Ostojić said during a visit to eastern Croatia late on Wednesday. Without specifying, he said the EU would have to handle “hot spots” before the migrants reach Croatia. |
| Croatia said it could cope with several thousand people, but not with tens of thousands. Migrants and refugees are at the moment being transported to reception centres near the capital Zagreb. | Croatia said it could cope with several thousand people, but not with tens of thousands. Migrants and refugees are at the moment being transported to reception centres near the capital Zagreb. |
| Prime minister, Zoran Milanović is scheduled to meet his Austrian counterpart, chancellor Werner Faymann on Thursday to discuss the issue of refugees. | Prime minister, Zoran Milanović is scheduled to meet his Austrian counterpart, chancellor Werner Faymann on Thursday to discuss the issue of refugees. |