Austria hit for building fence to shut out migrants
VIENNA—Austria on Wednesday announced plans to build a fence at a major border crossing with Slovenia to “control” the migrant influx.
Both countries have become key transit points for tens of thousands of migrants seeking to reach northern Europe ahead of the winter, and before other European Union (EU) states close their borders.
Berlin sharply criticized Vienna’s decision as the crisis took its toll on relations among the EU states.
The Schengen passport-free area is seen as one of the European Union’s most important achievements, and the European Commission has repeatedly expressed concern that reimposing border controls threatens its future.
“We do not believe that the current migrant crisis Europe is facing can be resolved with the building of fences or walls,” German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said.
EU officials said they were not told in advance of Austria’s plan and, in a sign of the sensitivity of the development, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker held hastily arranged talks with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann.
At least 11 more migrants died in the eastern Aegean Sea on Wednesday in five separate incidents, including a large shipwreck from which 242 others were rescued by the Greek coast guard.
The coast guard said it remained unclear how many people were on the wooden boat when it capsized, and coast guard boats, a helicopter and vessels from the European border agency Frontex searched through the night in stormy seas for more survivors.
In that incident, two young boys and a man died. Their nationalities remained unknown, it said.
Thousands of people continue to head to the Greek islands in frail boats from Turkey, despite worsening weather conditions as winter sets in.