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LIVE BLOG: Refugee crisis in Europe

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LIVE BLOG: Refugee crisis in Europe
MEE continues its coverage of the Europe refugee crisis as EU governments become increasingly frantic
  • Germany prepares for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees
  • Austrian Prime Minister describes migrant trek from Hungary as a "wake up call" for Europe
  • First train carrying 167 migrants from Austria to Germany arrives in Munich at 10:25am
  • MEE's Mary Atkinson is reporting from the ground in Hungary

Live Updates

8 years ago

The leader of Israel's main opposition party, Isaac Herzog, has called for Israel to take in Syrian refugees, following discussion he had with a Syrian opposition leader.

“I spoke with the head of the Syrian opposition [in Europe], Kamel Labwani. It is incumbent on Israel to take in refugees from the war and push for the establishment of an urgent international conference on the issue,” the Zionist Union leader said, according to Israel's Channel 10.

“Jews cannot be apathetic when hundreds of thousands of refugees are searching for safe haven.”

Israel, which has never established diplomatic ties with Syria, has so far not taken in any Syrian refugees and the topic is seen as contentious in Israeli society.

8 years ago

MEE's reporter Mary Atkinson is in Hungary's capital Budapest covering the refugee crisis.

She said that team of volunteers is working to clear a temporary migrant camp, nicknamed The Zone, that was set up just outside Budapest's Nyugati rail station:

"Under the watchful eye of the Hungarian police, volunteers are taking down a small collection of tents that have given temporary shelter to some 500 people, including families with young children, over the past 4 weeks. The Zone was mostly cleared overnight last night when authorities decided to allow the migrants to travel onwards by train and bus towards Austria."

"Around 50 people are now left behind at The Zone, which is nestled among the piazzas and cafés that surround Nyugati Station. Some simply missed the transportation, while others opted to stay behind and wait for family members. Two young migrants, among those who chose or were forced to stay, play an energetic game of badminton as their temporary shelter is dismantled around them."

(Mary Atkinson/MEE)

(Mary Atkinson/MEE)

8 years ago

Hundreds of refugees are marching from the Keleti train station in Budapest to Austria, following an earlier announcement from the Austrian chancellor that they would be granting unhindered access to the country for refugees.

The Hungarian government had earlier provided other refugees with buses to take them to the border.

8 years ago

Local activists have told MEE that up to 2000 migrants are being held in a Soviet-era army barracks outside Budapest.

The barracks is meant to hold only 800 people, the activists said, adding that journalists were being kept away from the building.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Saturday the refugee problems in Hungary had been caused by "the failed migration policy of the EU and ... irresponsible statements made by some European politicians."

8 years ago

Police sources in Germany have said they expect to receive 7,000 migrants from Hungary arriving via Austria on Saturday.

The first trains are expected later in the day in Bavaria and Frankfurt in the west.

8 years ago