UNHCR Worried about Migrants’ Plight at Greece-Macedonia Border

Migrants camp in a makeshift tent camp as Macedonian special police guard the crossing from Greece into Macedonia near the southern town of Gevgelija, 21 August 2015. EPA/BGNES

The United Nations refugee agency expressed concern on Friday over the increasingly precarious situation at the border between Greece and Macedonia, where Macedonian police used force earlier to prevent migrants trying to cross.

"UNHCR is particularly worried about the thousands of vulnerable refugees and migrants, especially women and children, now massed on the Greek side of the border amid deteriorating conditions," UNHCR said on its website.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres spoke with Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki about the situation and was assured that the border will not be closed in the future.

The UN refugee agency also appealed to the Greek authorities to enhance registration and reception arrangements for migrants stranded on the Greek side of the border and help them move towards reception centres away from the border.

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