European leaders agree on more beds for refugees

EUROPEAN leaders yesterday decided to set up 100,000 beds for refugees in Greece and the Balkans, in an attempt to stem the tide reaching Germany.

At an acrimonious meeting in Brussels that went on into the early hours, eastern European leaders promised to help slow the chaotic dash to Germany by no longer dumping thousands of migrants on each other’s borders unannounced.

They also promised to register and process migrants, and to increase policing along the Slovenian border.

“The only way to restore order to the situation is to slow down the uncontrolled flows of people,” Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Union said. “The policy of waving through people to neighbouring countries has to stop.” He added: “It cannot be that in the Europe of 2015, people are left to fend for themselves, sleeping in fields and wading chest-deep through rivers in freezing temperatures.”

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said: “This is one of the greatest litmus tests that Europe has ever faced.”

Under the plans, 50,000 beds will be set up in schools, hostels and barracks in Greece, and a similar number along the Western Balkans route. Tents, blankets and heating equipment have been sent by the EU to Croatia and Slovenia.

Officials admit they have no idea how many refugees and migrants are sleeping rough on the route to Germany. EU officials said the plan was to house migrants temporarily in Greece, before either deporting them to their country of origin, or relocating them to another EU state under a quota scheme.