Germany plans new ID document to better track asylum-seekers

Separately on Wednesday, 12 migrants drowned and 12 more were reported missing after a boat carrying about 50 people sank off the small Greek island of Farmakonisi in the early hours. Another 12 people are missing, while 26 have been rescued.

Although the weather was good, the vessel reportedly started taking on water after leaving the Turkish coast.

A record 500,000 refugees from a four-year-old civil war in Syria have travelled through Turkey then risked their lives in rickety boats to reach nearby Greek islands this year, their first stop in the European Union before continuing to wealthier countries in the north and west of the EU.

The Macedonian decision left thousands migrants from other countries waiting on the border for weeks which regularly resulted in scuffles.

Over 650,000 people have landed safely on Greek shores with most continuing their journey to other more prosperous European countries.

Buses carrying about 650 people, including many from Iran and Morocco, are heading south from the Idomeni border crossing, which police sealed off earlier to remove the migrants.

The Greece-Macedonia border at Idomeni railway station, just across from Gevgelija on the Greek side, was closed on November 18 by the Macedonian authorities, with only those arriving from conflict zones – Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan – allow to pass.

“Some 2,300 foreigners of various nationalities are being moved to open hospitality facilities in Athens on board 45 buses”, the police said in a statement.

Rail traffic was stopped at the border this morning, Reuters says, citing a police official and an eyewitness.

REUTERS/Yannis BehrakisSyrian refugees struggle to enter Macedonia through a narrow border crossing as Macedonian policemen try to shut a metal gate near to the Greek village of Idomeni December 4, 2015. “In some cases where they did, I saw them being detained… this happened to at least 30 people”.

In Athens the migrants will be allowed to file for asylum but the government plans to repatriate them when possible.

Some reports say journalists have been kept away from today’s police operation.