07-24-2016, 09:52 PM
*** 25-Jul-16 World View -- Migrants trapped in Serbia march toward border with Hungary
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Migrants trapped in Serbia march toward border with Hungary
****
![[Image: g150917b.gif]](http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g150917b.gif)
Last year's Balkan Route: Migrants arrive from Turkey to Greece, through Macedonia and Serbia, then through Hungary or Croatia.
Last year, hundreds of thousands of refugees, mostly from the war-torn
countries of Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, poured into Europe along the
so-called "Balkan route." The migrants reached Turkey, then crossed
the Aegean Sea to reach Greece and travel to the border with
Macedonia. They would cross Macedonia, then travel through Hungary
and Austria to reach Germany. In June of last year, Hungary announced
that it would build a razor-wire fence on the Hungary-Serbia border,
which they did in September. Then the refugees tried to travel from
Serbia into Croatia, and from there back into Hungary or into
Slovenia, and on to Austria and Germany. But those borders were
closed too. ( "20-Oct-15 World View -- As winter approaches, thousands of European refugees may be trapped in the cold"
.) In March of this year, the entire
"Balkan Route" was permanently closed.
Today, there are still about 3,000 refugees trapped in Serbia, living
either near the Hungary border, or in the capital city Belgrade. They
could apply for asylum in Serbia, but many don't want to do that,
because they really want to go to Germany and apply for asylum there.
On Friday, hundreds of refugees marched through Belgrade, launching a
hunger strike to demand passage to western Europe. In this context,
the "hunger strike" meant that they left untouched free food provided
by aid groups. They carried placards reading also stage a sitting
protest in Belgrade holding placards that read “Open the border,” “We
are responsible global citizens,” “No to violence,” “Stop wars if you
want to stop refugees” and “Prove that humanity is still alive.”
After the hunger strike, they began marching toward the border with
Hungary. By Sunday, about 300 young men (no women or children) were
nearing the border, alongside a "friendly" Serbian police escort. The
plan is to demand that Hungary open the border, and demand that is
unlikely to be met. There may be a confrontation on Monday. InSerbia and AFP and AP
****
**** The refugee problem continues, despite EU-Turkey deal
****
The EU-Turkey refugee deal has reduced the flow of refugees from
Turkey into Europe, but hasn't eliminated it entirely. More than
650,000 people passed through Serbia last year. So far in 2016, more
than 100,000 migrants have passed through Serbia, many of them being
guided by human traffickers whom they've paid. And 57,000 refugees
are trapped in Greece, many of them still hoping to reach Germany.
Many European officials are thankful that the recent coup attempt
in Turkey failed, because if it had succeeded, then the new
government might not have honored the refugee deal. But even
so, there are two major factors that could still cause the entire
refugee deal to unravel.
The EU committed to removing visa restrictions on EU travel by Turkish
citizens. June 30 was the deadline set by Turkey for the European
Union to lift visa restrictions on Turkey, so that any of Turkey's 72
million citizens can travel freely around Europe's Schengen zone.
Surprisingly, we haven't really heard anything about this plan since
early May, and Turkey may have decided to drop the subject after there
was so much opposition from some EU officials, because of Turkish
human rights violations.
Since the failed coup, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
indicated that Turkey may reinstate the death penalty. Turkey
abolished the death penalty in 2004 as one of the reforms that had
been demanded by the European Union before Turkey would be allowed to
join the EU. If the death penalty is reinstated, then there will be
no chance that the EU will ease visa restrictions. There's probably
no chance anyway.
The other major issue that could unravel the refugee deal is that
Brussels ruled last September that some 160,000 refugees would be
distributed among the 28 EU member states. However, Slovakia, the
Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary have said that they will not agree
to accept any refugees. These feelings have hardened even further
as the result of recent terror attacks in Europe.
Even ignoring these two issues, Erdogan has fired almost 60,000 people
at all levels of government in Turkey. ( "22-Jul-16 World View -- Turkey's Erdogan gives himself dictatorial powers, moving Turkey away from the West"
) With
Turkey's government in chaos, they may simply lose control of the
refugee situation, allowing a new surge of refugees into Europe.
Reuters and Al-Jazeera and Daily Mail (London) and Irish Times
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Europe, Balkan Route, Greece,
Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany,
Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Migrants trapped in Serbia march toward border with Hungary
- The refugee problem continues, despite EU-Turkey deal
****
**** Migrants trapped in Serbia march toward border with Hungary
****
Last year's Balkan Route: Migrants arrive from Turkey to Greece, through Macedonia and Serbia, then through Hungary or Croatia.
Last year, hundreds of thousands of refugees, mostly from the war-torn
countries of Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, poured into Europe along the
so-called "Balkan route." The migrants reached Turkey, then crossed
the Aegean Sea to reach Greece and travel to the border with
Macedonia. They would cross Macedonia, then travel through Hungary
and Austria to reach Germany. In June of last year, Hungary announced
that it would build a razor-wire fence on the Hungary-Serbia border,
which they did in September. Then the refugees tried to travel from
Serbia into Croatia, and from there back into Hungary or into
Slovenia, and on to Austria and Germany. But those borders were
closed too. ( "20-Oct-15 World View -- As winter approaches, thousands of European refugees may be trapped in the cold"
.) In March of this year, the entire
"Balkan Route" was permanently closed.
Today, there are still about 3,000 refugees trapped in Serbia, living
either near the Hungary border, or in the capital city Belgrade. They
could apply for asylum in Serbia, but many don't want to do that,
because they really want to go to Germany and apply for asylum there.
On Friday, hundreds of refugees marched through Belgrade, launching a
hunger strike to demand passage to western Europe. In this context,
the "hunger strike" meant that they left untouched free food provided
by aid groups. They carried placards reading also stage a sitting
protest in Belgrade holding placards that read “Open the border,” “We
are responsible global citizens,” “No to violence,” “Stop wars if you
want to stop refugees” and “Prove that humanity is still alive.”
After the hunger strike, they began marching toward the border with
Hungary. By Sunday, about 300 young men (no women or children) were
nearing the border, alongside a "friendly" Serbian police escort. The
plan is to demand that Hungary open the border, and demand that is
unlikely to be met. There may be a confrontation on Monday. InSerbia and AFP and AP
****
**** The refugee problem continues, despite EU-Turkey deal
****
The EU-Turkey refugee deal has reduced the flow of refugees from
Turkey into Europe, but hasn't eliminated it entirely. More than
650,000 people passed through Serbia last year. So far in 2016, more
than 100,000 migrants have passed through Serbia, many of them being
guided by human traffickers whom they've paid. And 57,000 refugees
are trapped in Greece, many of them still hoping to reach Germany.
Many European officials are thankful that the recent coup attempt
in Turkey failed, because if it had succeeded, then the new
government might not have honored the refugee deal. But even
so, there are two major factors that could still cause the entire
refugee deal to unravel.
The EU committed to removing visa restrictions on EU travel by Turkish
citizens. June 30 was the deadline set by Turkey for the European
Union to lift visa restrictions on Turkey, so that any of Turkey's 72
million citizens can travel freely around Europe's Schengen zone.
Surprisingly, we haven't really heard anything about this plan since
early May, and Turkey may have decided to drop the subject after there
was so much opposition from some EU officials, because of Turkish
human rights violations.
Since the failed coup, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
indicated that Turkey may reinstate the death penalty. Turkey
abolished the death penalty in 2004 as one of the reforms that had
been demanded by the European Union before Turkey would be allowed to
join the EU. If the death penalty is reinstated, then there will be
no chance that the EU will ease visa restrictions. There's probably
no chance anyway.
The other major issue that could unravel the refugee deal is that
Brussels ruled last September that some 160,000 refugees would be
distributed among the 28 EU member states. However, Slovakia, the
Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary have said that they will not agree
to accept any refugees. These feelings have hardened even further
as the result of recent terror attacks in Europe.
Even ignoring these two issues, Erdogan has fired almost 60,000 people
at all levels of government in Turkey. ( "22-Jul-16 World View -- Turkey's Erdogan gives himself dictatorial powers, moving Turkey away from the West"
) With
Turkey's government in chaos, they may simply lose control of the
refugee situation, allowing a new surge of refugees into Europe.
Reuters and Al-Jazeera and Daily Mail (London) and Irish Times
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Europe, Balkan Route, Greece,
Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany,
Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
