The number of refugees in Idomeni is on the rise as the border crossing remains closed.
Fear has begun to grow in Greece because of the decision to close the Macedonian border to refugees may be more than just temporary.
Although the official explanation is that the border is closed at the request of Slovenia due to a malfunction on the railway, it comes after Germany and Austria announced that they are considering to reduce the number of refugees that will be admitted to the European Union. In Greece this has created huge anxiety because it may be the case that this is some kind of prearranged scenario to close the borders.
“The border has been closed since Tuesday and although the measure is being called ‘temporary’, signs from the Balkans and Austria show that it is closed only in one direction,” writes the daily “Kathimerini”, suggesting that there is a possibility that the border will remain shut, or if opened there will be strong controls and conditions for refugees passing through.
The number of refugees arriving at the border increases. According to the Greek news agency ANA, currently, there are approximately 800 refugees waiting to enter Macedonia.
