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| Europe Lacks Strategy to Tackle Crisis, but Migrants March On | Europe Lacks Strategy to Tackle Crisis, but Migrants March On |
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| BERLIN — Europe’s failure to agree on a coherent strategy to deal with the migration crisis continued to have ripple effects across the Continent on Thursday, as undaunted asylum seekers moved on despite conflicting policies, tensions between nations and new obstacles. | BERLIN — Europe’s failure to agree on a coherent strategy to deal with the migration crisis continued to have ripple effects across the Continent on Thursday, as undaunted asylum seekers moved on despite conflicting policies, tensions between nations and new obstacles. |
| Border camps in Serbia began to dissipate and thousands of migrants headed west toward Croatia, a day after Hungary showed its resolve by firing water cannons and tear gas at migrants who tried to breach a heavily guarded border gate. | Border camps in Serbia began to dissipate and thousands of migrants headed west toward Croatia, a day after Hungary showed its resolve by firing water cannons and tear gas at migrants who tried to breach a heavily guarded border gate. |
| The Hungarian response was criticized by the head of the United Nations human rights agency and the European Union’s migration chief, and the European Council president, Donald Tusk, called for the bloc’s leaders hold an emergency summit meeting on Wednesday to address the crisis. | The Hungarian response was criticized by the head of the United Nations human rights agency and the European Union’s migration chief, and the European Council president, Donald Tusk, called for the bloc’s leaders hold an emergency summit meeting on Wednesday to address the crisis. |
| Buses in Serbia carried migrants to the border with Croatia, but the transit system began to fray as the day went on. Migrants in the country began to grow restless, the degree to which they would be welcome to travel onward became less clear, and Slovenia said it would not provide a transit corridor to Austria. | Buses in Serbia carried migrants to the border with Croatia, but the transit system began to fray as the day went on. Migrants in the country began to grow restless, the degree to which they would be welcome to travel onward became less clear, and Slovenia said it would not provide a transit corridor to Austria. |
| As migrants continued to look for new ways to reach Europe, the top migration official in Germany stepped down on Thursday after coming under fire for a post on Twitter from his office last month that is widely viewed as having encouraged Syrians to travel to his country. | As migrants continued to look for new ways to reach Europe, the top migration official in Germany stepped down on Thursday after coming under fire for a post on Twitter from his office last month that is widely viewed as having encouraged Syrians to travel to his country. |
| With Hungary cutting off access, Croatia had emerged as a newly popular route to Germany, the preferred destination for most migrants, and Croatia’s prime minister promised asylum seekers safe movement, operating under the assumption that they were only passing through the country. | With Hungary cutting off access, Croatia had emerged as a newly popular route to Germany, the preferred destination for most migrants, and Croatia’s prime minister promised asylum seekers safe movement, operating under the assumption that they were only passing through the country. |
| But on Thursday, the interior minister, Ranko Ostojic, said the country had reached the maximum number of people it could handle. He added that people had been found crossing illegally into the country, and he called upon other countries along the route to Croatia to stem the flow of migrants. | But on Thursday, the interior minister, Ranko Ostojic, said the country had reached the maximum number of people it could handle. He added that people had been found crossing illegally into the country, and he called upon other countries along the route to Croatia to stem the flow of migrants. |
| Croatia opened two border crossings with neighboring Serbia, hoping to avoid a bottleneck after more than 7,000 migrants entered from Wednesday to midafternoon Thursday. | |
| Amid the uncertainty, thousands of people, fed up with waiting in the sweltering sun, surged past Croatian police officers at the Tovarnik train station, headed in whatever direction they thought would lead to Slovenia. | |
| Police vehicles kicked up dust along agricultural fields and through the streets while a propeller plane monitored the migrants’ paths overhead, as the authorities desperately tried to corral them back into place. | |
| Empty buses snaked down local side streets, hoping the migrants would stop at the sight of available transport. Many migrants went directly toward a group of buses just a few hundred yards away from the train station, and a mass of people shoved and shouted as the doors opened. | Empty buses snaked down local side streets, hoping the migrants would stop at the sight of available transport. Many migrants went directly toward a group of buses just a few hundred yards away from the train station, and a mass of people shoved and shouted as the doors opened. |
| “We don’t need anything from the government of Croatia,” said Manar Alqawy, 23, who spent the last 25 days traveling from Syria. His mother sat behind him under a tent pitched in what had become a de facto bus station. The two spent 13 hours waiting at the train station for transport that never materialized. | “We don’t need anything from the government of Croatia,” said Manar Alqawy, 23, who spent the last 25 days traveling from Syria. His mother sat behind him under a tent pitched in what had become a de facto bus station. The two spent 13 hours waiting at the train station for transport that never materialized. |
| Some migrants approached aid workers and reporters, asking for smugglers or taxis — or asking if they could transport the migrants themselves. | |
| “We have money. We can buy food and water,” Mr. Alqawy said. “We can pay taxis, smugglers. Just let us get to Slovenia.” | “We have money. We can buy food and water,” Mr. Alqawy said. “We can pay taxis, smugglers. Just let us get to Slovenia.” |
| On Wednesday, the Hungarian riot police fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of migrants after they tried to push through a gate at the border with Serbia. The use of force by the Hungarian authorities, a turning point in the migration crisis, drew criticism from the United Nations, and advocates questioned whether Hungary was breaching international law. | On Wednesday, the Hungarian riot police fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of migrants after they tried to push through a gate at the border with Serbia. The use of force by the Hungarian authorities, a turning point in the migration crisis, drew criticism from the United Nations, and advocates questioned whether Hungary was breaching international law. |
| Hungary, for its part, said it was responding to a violent rebellion and that it had detained 29 people, including one person who the authorities described as a “terrorist.” The government said that two children were wounded when they were thrown over the border, and that 20 police officers had been injured during the clashes. | Hungary, for its part, said it was responding to a violent rebellion and that it had detained 29 people, including one person who the authorities described as a “terrorist.” The government said that two children were wounded when they were thrown over the border, and that 20 police officers had been injured during the clashes. |
| The response in Hungary was met with widespread criticism, and the United Nations human rights chief, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, said on Thursday that Hungary was breaking the law by building a fence on its border to keep out people who may be fleeing war zones, and by turning back refugees after what his office called “very summary proceedings.” | The response in Hungary was met with widespread criticism, and the United Nations human rights chief, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, said on Thursday that Hungary was breaking the law by building a fence on its border to keep out people who may be fleeing war zones, and by turning back refugees after what his office called “very summary proceedings.” |
| “I am appalled at the callous, and in some cases illegal, actions of the Hungarian authorities in recent days, which include denying entry to, arresting, summarily rejecting and returning refugees, using disproportionate force on migrants and refugees, as well as reportedly assaulting journalists and seizing video documentation,” Mr. al-Hussein said in a statement issued in Geneva. | “I am appalled at the callous, and in some cases illegal, actions of the Hungarian authorities in recent days, which include denying entry to, arresting, summarily rejecting and returning refugees, using disproportionate force on migrants and refugees, as well as reportedly assaulting journalists and seizing video documentation,” Mr. al-Hussein said in a statement issued in Geneva. |
| Mr. al-Hussein cited three international treaties that are binding on Hungary, including the 1951 Refugee Convention, which ensures the rights of people fleeing war and persecution to seek political asylum. | Mr. al-Hussein cited three international treaties that are binding on Hungary, including the 1951 Refugee Convention, which ensures the rights of people fleeing war and persecution to seek political asylum. |
| “Seeking asylum is not a crime, and neither is entering a country irregularly,” he said, sharply rebuking the Hungarian prime minister for what he called his “xenophobic and anti-Muslim views.” | “Seeking asylum is not a crime, and neither is entering a country irregularly,” he said, sharply rebuking the Hungarian prime minister for what he called his “xenophobic and anti-Muslim views.” |
| The rebuke notwithstanding, there is little the organization can do immediately to enforce any country’s legal obligations. The United Nations refugee agency has repeatedly said that Australia, for instance, is violating the principles of international law by sending asylum seekers to nearby countries in the Asia-Pacific region. | The rebuke notwithstanding, there is little the organization can do immediately to enforce any country’s legal obligations. The United Nations refugee agency has repeatedly said that Australia, for instance, is violating the principles of international law by sending asylum seekers to nearby countries in the Asia-Pacific region. |
| And a United Nations expert had previously accused Australia of violating the global torture convention by detaining child migrants on Manus Island. Australia has continued the practice anyway, and its leaders have on occasion sharply shot back against the United Nations. | And a United Nations expert had previously accused Australia of violating the global torture convention by detaining child migrants on Manus Island. Australia has continued the practice anyway, and its leaders have on occasion sharply shot back against the United Nations. |
| Mr. al-Hussein’s statement came a day after the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, bluntly called Hungary’s action “not acceptable” and said he had urged the Hungarian Prime Minister to follow international law. | Mr. al-Hussein’s statement came a day after the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, bluntly called Hungary’s action “not acceptable” and said he had urged the Hungarian Prime Minister to follow international law. |
| The police in Austria continued bracing for an influx of migrants on the country’s southern border with Slovenia as migrants tried to find alternatives to traveling to Hungary. | The police in Austria continued bracing for an influx of migrants on the country’s southern border with Slovenia as migrants tried to find alternatives to traveling to Hungary. |
| But on Wednesday, Slovenia refused Croatia’s suggestion that it create a corridor through the country, with Vesna Gyorkos Znidar, the Slovenian interior minister, saying that it was “out of the question,” Austrian public television, ORF, said. | But on Wednesday, Slovenia refused Croatia’s suggestion that it create a corridor through the country, with Vesna Gyorkos Znidar, the Slovenian interior minister, saying that it was “out of the question,” Austrian public television, ORF, said. |
| The Slovenian government introduced border controls with Hungary early Thursday morning, calling it a temporary but necessary measure to ensure public security. | The Slovenian government introduced border controls with Hungary early Thursday morning, calling it a temporary but necessary measure to ensure public security. |
| In Germany, Manfred Schmidt, president of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, quit a little more than three weeks after his office posted a message on Twitter on Aug. 25 stating that Syrians refugees would be granted asylum in Germany, regardless of how they had reached the country. | In Germany, Manfred Schmidt, president of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, quit a little more than three weeks after his office posted a message on Twitter on Aug. 25 stating that Syrians refugees would be granted asylum in Germany, regardless of how they had reached the country. |
| The tweet, based on a technical decision circulated in Mr. Schmidt’s office, was aimed at speeding up the decision time for asylum applications. But it quickly went viral in the Arabic-speaking world, where the decision was interpreted as Germany throwing open its doors. | The tweet, based on a technical decision circulated in Mr. Schmidt’s office, was aimed at speeding up the decision time for asylum applications. But it quickly went viral in the Arabic-speaking world, where the decision was interpreted as Germany throwing open its doors. |
| Within days, tens of thousands had gathered at Budapest’s Keleti station, chanting “Germany, Germany,” and seeking to travel west, leading Hungarian officials to criticize what it saw as Berlin’s unilateral rescinding of European Union policy. | Within days, tens of thousands had gathered at Budapest’s Keleti station, chanting “Germany, Germany,” and seeking to travel west, leading Hungarian officials to criticize what it saw as Berlin’s unilateral rescinding of European Union policy. |
| That effectively rescinded Germany’s pledge to abide by an agreement that requires migrants to apply for asylum in the first European Union country they reach, and it played a crucial role in sparking the mass migration toward Europe in recent weeks. | That effectively rescinded Germany’s pledge to abide by an agreement that requires migrants to apply for asylum in the first European Union country they reach, and it played a crucial role in sparking the mass migration toward Europe in recent weeks. |
| Germany has said it now expects a million migrants to reach the country this year, and the migration office was the subject of criticism that it had failed to speed up the processing of the more than 250,000 applications for asylum, even as thousands more are submitted daily. | Germany has said it now expects a million migrants to reach the country this year, and the migration office was the subject of criticism that it had failed to speed up the processing of the more than 250,000 applications for asylum, even as thousands more are submitted daily. |
| Germany’s Interior Ministry, responsible for the migration office, said that Mr. Schmidt, 56, had cited “personal reasons” for his decision to leave the position he had held for five years. | Germany’s Interior Ministry, responsible for the migration office, said that Mr. Schmidt, 56, had cited “personal reasons” for his decision to leave the position he had held for five years. |