Migrants Protest at Greece-Macedonia Border, Demand

Nationals of other countries are being stopped – about 1,000 people are stuck at the main entry point into Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from Greece.

“I don’t feel good now. I will be hanged”, he said. These men sat down on railway tracks in front of security forces. He was put on an IV drip by volunteer doctors.

A man feeds his child as refugees wait to be allowed by the Macedonian police to cross the borderline to Macedonia, near the Greek village of Idomeni, Sunday, November 22, 2015.

Last week, Slovenia declared it would only grant passage to those fleeing conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and that all others would be deemed “economic migrants” and sent back. Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia soon after announced they will follow the same policy. Eastern European leaders say it’s an issue of economics, while others say the anti-migrant rhetoric it’s fueled by Islamophobia.

Aid agencies have warned that those denied passage and the right to seek asylum risk being left in limbo without sufficient aid against the winter.

About 1,000 people, described by authorities in Skopje as economic migrants, have staged a protest on the border of Greece and Macedonia.

Once they cross into Macedonia, migrants head for the town of Gevgelija, from where they continue by rail north through Serbia toward wealthier countries of northern Europe, mainly Germany and Sweden.

“The camp in Idomeni is already full of the people who are not allowed to cross the border”. “But they’ve been protesting silently and nothing’s happened – so that’s why they’re doing this”. The protests, which includes Afghans, Bangladeshis, Iraqis, Pakistanis, and Moroccans, have gone on for four days.

Macedonia’s President, Gjorgje Ivanov, said that the stream of “migrants” entering the country has caused tensions “between refugees and migrants, the migrants and police and army, and between migrants and local people”.

“We are people too”, said an Iranian man who gave his name as Ahmed.

Poland’s new Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said the country is not ready to take in 7,000 refugees, a figure accepted by the previous government. Our country is a dictatorship. “And we can not go on”.

Milad has been at Idomeni for about a week.