Austria: Migrant route via Italy also needs blocking
Posted March 13, 2016 7:00 am
BERLIN (AP) - Austria's foreign minister says the route leading through Italy to central Europe also will need to be blocked to migrants after his country's decisions triggered the closure of the Balkan route.
Austria's cap on migrant admissions set off a domino effect of border closures across the Balkans, stranding thousands of migrants at borders. But Austrian officials say they still need to be vigilant in case migrants seek alternative routes.
Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz told Sunday's newspaper Bild am Sonntag newspaper that "smuggling can't be prevented entirely."
Because of that, he said, "we will have to do everything that we are now doing on the western Balkan route along the Italy-Mediterranean route too." He says "the time of waving through refugees to central Europe is over, no matter on what route."
A migrant woman carries a child covered in plastic sheets after receiving a daily snack on the railway tracks at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
A woman throws away water collected from around her tent at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
A child struggles with an umbrella at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
A child covered in a thermal blanket carries food supplies past large puddles at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
Children, one wearing adult sized shoes, walk next to large puddles at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
A child covered in a thermal blanket carries food supplies past large puddles at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
Large puddles surround tents at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
A man shields his fire with plastic sheets at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
Migrants try to warm up near a fire on the railway tracks at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
A boy peers out from under plastic sheets covering his family's tent to check the weather at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
A migrant woman carries a child covered in plastic sheets after receiving a daily snack, on the railway tracks at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 13, 2016. Bad weather returned after a brief pause and conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have further deteriorated, many of its residents struggling struggling to cope with the many challenges posed by the heavy rain. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The Associated Press
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