Hungarian police repel migrants at border; others reach Croatia

Jane Onyanga-Omara | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Migrants head for Croatia to avoid Hungarian fence A first busload of migrants arrived near Serbia's border with EU member Croatia hoping to circumvent a razor-wire fence erected by Hungary. Video provided by AFP

Hungarian border police sprayed tear gas Wednesday at migrants on its closed border with Serbia, triggering a stampede. Another group of migrants reached Croatia to take a longer route into Western Europe.

Migrants frustrated at being blocked on the Serbian side of the border threw plastic water bottles and rocks at helmeted riot police and chanted demands that the border be reopened. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons, the Associated Press reported.

“We fled wars and violence and did not expect such brutality and inhumane treatment in Europe,” said Amir Hassan, an Iraqi who was wet from a water cannon and tried to wash tear gas from his eyes, according to AP. “Shame on you, Hungarians,” he shouted.

The clashes took place at a small border crossing in the Serbian village of Horgos, a short distance from the main border crossing into Hungary.

The group of migrants who reached Croatia Wednesday set out on a new route to Germany and other European countries after Hungary closed its border with Serbia on Tuesday and declared a state of emergency in two southern counties to prevent migrants from illegally entering the country.

A busload of 30 to 40 people, mostly from Syria and Afghanistan, disembarked at the Serbian border town of Sid after a 300-mile overnight journey from Presevo, the southernmost area of Serbia, which borders Macedonia, Agence France-Presse reported. They crossed into Croatia.

Nearly 900 people have entered the country, more than 12 hours after the first groups started coming in. Ranko Ostojic, Croatia's deputy prime minister, said his country expects about 4,000 migrants to arrive in the coming days en route to richer European Union countries.

Zoran Milanovic, the prime minister of Croatia, an EU member, criticized Hungary’s decision to seal the border.

“We are ready to accept and direct those people," he told parliament Wednesday. “They will be able to pass through Croatia, and we are working intensively to enable that.”

It is illegal to cross or damage Hungary's 13-foot high, razor-wire fence on its border with Serbia, and Hungarian police sealed a key crossing on a railway track. The moves sparked refugees and migrants to block the main highway connecting Serbia and Hungary in protest after the border was shut.

Migrants in Serbia protest at closed border with Hungary Migrants protested at the border between Hungary and Serbia which authorities closed the day before after Serbia said it 'cannot handle' migrant influx. Video provided by AFP

Small groups of migrants continued to sneak into Hungary by crawling under or climbing over the fence Wednesday, the AP reported. At least 519 migrants have been arrested for trying to cross the border since Tuesday.

Four Iraqis are on trial for allegedly crossing the border illegally — the first to go to court under the new laws, according to AP.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced plans for another fence on the border with Romania, according to AFP. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told the AP the razor-wire fence on the border with Serbia will remain as long as large numbers of migrants keep trying to enter Hungary.

He said “only a physical obstacle” could help protect the border, and he urged the EU to send forces to help Greece control the numbers of migrants arriving by sea, to which he said Hungary would make a “massive contribution.”

Szijjarto told the AP that migrants applying for asylum in Hungary after arriving from Serbia would be sent back to Serbia if their claims are rejected.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, speaking in Washington, condemned Hungary's actions Wednesday of firing tear gas and water cannons at migrants on Serbia's side of the border. "I hope that doesn't happen again," he said.

Vucic pointed out that unlike Hungary, Serbia has housed, fed and registered migrants and is building additional facilities for the winter.

Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter called on Germany Tuesday to take the lead in solving the crisis, comparing it to Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees arriving in the USA in the late 1970s, during his presidency.

The same day, Syrian President Bashar Assad told Russia Today (RT) that Europe isn't dealing with the cause of the refugee crisis. Thousands of Syrian refugees are heading to Europe, and more than 4 million have been in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt since the outbreak of war in 2011. Russia provides military assistance to the Syrian government.

Safe and legal routes needed now: #refugees may inadvertently stray into Balkan minefields in search for ways round new border restrictions — MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) September 16, 2015

"It's not about that Europe didn't accept them or embrace them as refugees, it's about not dealing with the cause," Assad told RT, which is funded by the Russian government. "If you are worried about them, stop supporting terrorists. That's what we think, regarding the crisis."

Tuesday, Germany's government pledged extra support for receiving and distributing tens of thousands of migrants entering the country, German media reported. The country expects 800,000 migrants this year. Germany and Austria called Tuesday for an EU summit on the crisis next week.

Contributing: Oren Dorell