UN refugee agency warns of new humanitarian problems at crossing from Greece into Balkans

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday warned of new humanitarian problems at crossings from Greece into the Balkans resulting from the profiling of people based on their alleged nationalities, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.

Nationals of Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq are being allowed to cross at the borders between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, but 1,000 of the people are stuck at the main entry point into Macedonia from Greece, said Dujarric at a daily news briefing here.

"Growing frustrations have led to protests among hundreds of people, mainly Iranians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis," he said. "Some 60 people are on hunger strike, and 11 individuals are reported to have stitched up their mouths."

With refugees and migrants expected to continue arriving in Europe via Greece over the winter and into 2016, the UN Refugee Agency stressed that it is imperative that the situation be managed in such a way as to minimize the risks of new problems being created, according to Dujarric.

On Oct. 20, UNHCR said the number of refugee and migrant arrivals to Greece hit half a million, warning of continued chaos unless migrant reception in Greece is strengthened and relocation is expedited.

In late October, more than 300 migrants are lying in Victoria Square in central Athens, the Greek capital. Most of them are Afghan men, in their early or late 20s. They arrived Tuesday morning at Athens' main port Piraeus and began their journey in Athens, one of their first stops in continental Europe. However, with many European Union (EU) leaders talking about closing their borders, the refugees may get stuck in Greece longer than they originally thought. Endit