Border controls on the Balkan migrant route

In Vienna on Wednesday, ministers from countries on or near the main Balkan migration route agreed to tighten border controls. Greece wasn't invited to the meeting. Recent days have also seen a flurry of unilateral action and strongly-worded warnings.

Key EU country | Non-EU country

19 February

Austria imposes a daily limit of 3,200 people entering the country and restricts asylum applications to 80 a day.

 

21 February

Macedonia prevents Afghans from crossing from Greece.

 

22 February

Slovakia says it is prepared to fence off its borders with Austria and Hungary. Slovenia

sends troops to its frontier with Croatia while Croatia warns its main migration route will close if Austria and Germany shut their borders.

 

24 February

Albania says its border could close if Macedonia fully shuts its Greek border while Bulgaria approves an extension to its Turkish border fence. Hungary's prime minister calls an anti-refugee quotas referendum while the Czech Republic forms a special migration police unit.

400 km

400 miles

Kosovo

Macedonia

Albania

Montenegro

Czech Rep.

Austria

Bosnia

Serbia

Slovakia

Hungary

Greece

Bulgaria

Romania

Croatia

Slovenia

Poland

Ukraine

Germany

Turkey

In Vienna on Wednesday, ministers from countries on or near the main Balkan migration route agreed to tighten border controls. Greece wasn't invited to the meeting. Recent days have also seen a flurry of unilateral action and strongly-worded warnings.

Key EU country | Non-EU country

19 February

Austria imposes a daily limit of 3,200 people entering the country and restricts asylum applications to 80 a day.

 

21 February

Macedonia prevents Afghans from crossing from Greece.

 

22 February

Slovakia says it is prepared to fence off its borders with Austria and Hungary. Slovenia

sends troops to its frontier with Croatia

while Croatia warns its main migration route will close if Austria and Germany shut their borders.

 

24 February

Albania says its border could close if Macedonia fully shuts its Greek border while Bulgaria approves an extension to its Turkish border fence. Hungary's prime minister calls an anti-refugee quotas referendum while the Czech Republic forms a special migration police unit.

Ionian

Sea

Aegean

Sea

Black Sea

200 km

200 miles

Kosovo

Macedonia

Albania

Montenegro

Czech Rep.

Austria

Bosnia

Serbia

Slovakia

Hungary

Greece

Bulgaria

Romania

Croatia

Slovenia

Italy

Poland

Ukraine

Germany

Turkey