BUDAPEST, Hungary— Hungary says it will close down its border with Croatia to the free flow of migrants overnight Friday in a move experts say could leave thousands of migrants on their way to western Europe stranded in the small Balkan nation.
Speaking after a meeting of the national security Cabinet, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the border, reinforced with a razor-wire fence, will be closed from midnight (2200 GMT) Friday.
Hungary decided to order the border clampdown after EU leaders who met Thursday in Brussels failed to agree on a plan backed by Hungary to send EU forces to block migrants from reaching Greece.
“We know that this is not the best, but only the second-best solution,” Szijjarto said.
He said normal border checkpoints between the two countries will remain open, though inspections will be tightened. “We will introduce stricter controls to be able to block border crossings done illegally,” Szijjarto said.
Although Croatia is also a member of the European Union, unlike Hungary it is not part of the Schengen zone of passport-free travel. Migrants could still apply for asylum in Hungary at two border transit zones, Szijjarto said.
Over 383,000 migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia have entered Hungary this year, nearly all passing through on their way to Germany and other destinations further west in the EU. The country clamped down on its border with Serbia with a similar fence on Sept. 15 and since then migrants have been taking a detour through Croatia to reach Hungary.
