Migrant Journey
Leo Wiltshire
Staff Writer
Thousands of migrants are making a treacherous journey to northern European countries in order to seek asylum.
Analysts have determined their route. Taking them from Turkey to Greece, it heads northward from Turkey into Serbia, Macedonia, eventually reaching Hungary. If migrants make it that far, they head northwest into Austria, and then travel north into Germany (Europol). The international community is witnessing the strenuous efforts made by people who want a higher standard of living.
On August 27th, 71 people were found dead in an abandoned truck on a freeway along Austria’s eastern border. 59 men, eight women, and four children are said to have suffocated inside the truck (The Telegraph). Some sources have indicated that some of the victims were as young as one or two years old (CBC). Analysts have also concluded that most, if not all migrants found in the truck were escaping their war-ravaged country Syria, which is currently undergoing a civil war (The Telegraph). The driver of the truck has now been arrested by Hungarian police and the incident is under investigation.
Migrants have been barred from using the train station in Budapest, Hungary. According to one government official, Hungary was trying “to enforce [an] EU law” (BBC). This has led some journalists to believe that Hungary is under pressure by other EU countries who are having difficulty handling the great inflow of migrants. 107,500 migrants entered Europe in July (BBC). Around 3,650 and 3,500 migrants arrived in Vienna and Bavaria respectively in one day (BBC). Many of the migrants stranded outside the train station in Budapest have been raising their train tickets in protest. They were repeatedly chanting “Germany, Germany!”
One migrant who wasn’t travelling the route affirmed by experts was found inside the hood of a car huddled next to the engine. Another migrant was found between the narrow space of the car’s back seat and trunk. The West African migrants were found in the Spanish territory Ceuta, which is located on the mainland of Morocco. The migrant found next to the car’s engine was inhaling noxious fumes while attempting to travel from Morocco to Spain (BBC). Both migrants have been put under investigation (BBC).
The constant inflow of migrants has left many EU leaders searching desperately for a solution. One solution, proposed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is to have all migrants equally divided among the EU (BBC). An EU law termed “The Dublin Regulation” affirms that refugees should seek asylum as soon as they arrive in any European Union member country (BBC). Italy has stated that they are unable to support the large inflow of migrants, many of whom travel across the Mediterranean Sea. Greece, currently under large amounts of debt to other European countries and the IMF, says they are also unable to support migrants.
As they are stuck in limbo, around 3,000 people are camping outside Keleti station in Budapest (The Guardian). One analyst from the BBC has said The Dublin Regulation is “[…] not worth much more than the paper it’s written on.” Laws are certainly useless without law enforcement.