News / EU

13,000 asylum seekers enter Austria amid worsening refugee crisis

Sunday, 20 September 2015 7:57 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 20 September 2015 11:28 AM ]

Refugees cross the borderline in Szentgotthard, Hungary at the Hungarian-Austrian border on September 19, 2015. ©AFP

Thousands of asylum seekers have entered Austria through Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia as the worsening refugee crisis weighs down on several European countries.

The Austrian Red Cross said more than 13,000 refugees arrived in Austria on Saturday alone, though the country’s police officials have not yet confirmed the Red Cross' figure. Austrian police had earlier said they were preparing for the arrival of some 10,000 asylum seekers.

A young refugee woman and a child wait on the entrance ground of the main train station in Salzburg, near the German-Austrian border, on September 16, 2015. ©AFP

Meanwhile, Gyorgy Bakondi, a security adviser to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, reported that neighboring Croatia let in around 8,000 refugees on Friday, 4,200 of whom entered Hungary the next day.

Hungary and Croatia are currently in a row over handling the unprecedented influx of asylum seekers at the European Union’s borders.

On Saturday, Budapest accused Zagreb of “violating Hungary’s sovereignty” by allowing the asylum seekers to cross Croatia and reach Hungarian borders.

A military convoy is seen on a main road near Nagykanizsa, Hungary, close to the Hungarian-Croatian border, on September 19, 2015. ©AFP

“Once again, Hungary has been left in the lurch… We will defend the European Union, the borders of the Schengen zone, and we will defend Hungary in accordance with European rules,” said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

Hungary is notorious for adopting harsh policies against refugees, a stance that has greatly infuriated the international community and rights groups.

In another development, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov announced that the country has closed its borders to undocumented asylum seekers.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov ©AFP

On Friday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said over 442,440 refugees have arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean so far this year, 2,921 of whom have reportedly lost their lives during the perilous journey.

“The suffering and risks for thousands of refugees and refugees are meanwhile increasing as uncertainty and a lack of information fuels desperation, raises the likelihood of further incidents, and stokes hostility towards people who have fled persecution and conflict and are in need of help,” said Adrian Edwards, the spokesperson for the UNHCR.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk