Migrant Crisis builds – EU on the verge of a self-induced humanitarian crisis

EUROPE is on the verge of a ´self-induced humanitarian crisis´ according to a statement released by the United Nations. This comes amid the chaos and build-up of huge numbers of migrants and refugees stuck on the border between Greece and Macedonia. 

Many families are stuck in limbo with few supplies including food, water and shelter.  The current estimate is that 24,000 people are stuck in Greece. The UN has also stated that better planning and better accommodation is needed. 

The UN refugee agency spokesman Adrian Edwards said: “The crowded conditions are leading to shortages of food, shelter, water and sanitation.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel raised concerns over the situation on March 1, when she said: “As we all saw yesterday tensions have been building, fuelling violence and playing into the hands of people smugglers.”

Incidents are common at border control when sometimes hundreds of desperate migrants and refugees storm the fence. Currently a large number of army trucks are present and stationed near a railway line as an extra guard against potential clashes. 

Since the new year, some 131,724 refugees have already crossed the Mediterranean which is more than the first half of 2015, according to the UN. 

A new plan prosed by the European Commission advises that aid agencies should be working directly with the UN and other groups within the EU rather than dividing money to individual countries. 

The plan would seea total fund of €300m to be used this year by any EU state to help deal with the migration crisis. €700m would be made available over three years.