EU Migrants Cris: Clashes With The Police on Macedonia-Greece Border

Hundreds of migrants tried to barge their way across Greece's northern border on Monday, tearing down razor wire in protest at neighboring Macedonia's tight border controls, according to Greek authorities.

Macedonian authorities pushed them back by firing tear gas. There was no immediate reports on injuries.

Police and volunteer groups say that there are between 6,000 to 8,000 refugees and other migrants at Idomeni waiting to cross over.

The clashes are a symptom of the growing frustration as a large bottleneck of migrants forms in Greece with some 22,000 people now estimated to be stranded in the country after Austria and several Balkan countries coordinated a tightening of their borders in the past week. Macedonia has stopped allowing Afghans entering the country, waving through only those from Iraq and Syria on their way to wealthier northern European countries.

“Overnight 305 people were allowed to enter Macedonia,” said a Greek police official.

The number of migrants trapped in Greece has seen a sharp rise in recent weeks and will keep climbing as thousands cross over from Turkey every day.

Greece’s Defense Ministry will use some of its military facilities to help house the migrants in a plan that aims to create five more temporary camps in northern Greece to accommodate up to 20,000 people. This move comes after the Merchant Marine Ministry said on Friday that it will accommodate people aboard three chartered ferries that will be anchored at the islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos for the next few days.