To control the massive flow of refugees in Europe, Macedonia constructed a barrier fence along its southern border with Greece.
The welcome of refugees became cooler, checks are getting tougher, and people are being turned back. On every border through Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
The Macedonian policemen, began filtering thousands of arrivals, by scrutinizing the documents of every single person attempting to cross. Number of officers were deployed to the border town of Idomeni . After scrutinising the policeman says “You, you can pass,” or “You. No,” and ask them to turn back.
Tough scrutiny is done to young men. Those fleeing conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq are supposed to be allowed through. Everyone else is being stopped.
The policeman stops the old lady and said.”You. No valid documents,This is fake,” he adds, holding her identity card.
A group showed their Syrian passports, but their identity papers obtained in a Greek refugee camp did not have the proper stamps. Among them was a man, limping, his leg set in a metal brace.
“You have to go to Athens, get papers there,” a Greek policeman told him. Athens is 500km (310 miles) to the south.
The denied migrants are seen in the woods near the border.They were outside in freezing temperatures, hiding from the police, preparing to skirt the official crossing, to enter Macedonia illegally. Wrapped in blankets to protect themselves from the cold.
There were Libyans, Iranians and Moroccans, along with Indians, Somalis, even a refugee from Western Sahara who had crossed North Africa hanging on to the underside of a truck.
One of the Pakistani refugee Sami said that he has spent $4,000 (£2,770; €3,700) and 15 days in jail in Turkey to get this far. He said he can’t give up now, he had left his wife and three-year old son behind to make this journey.
Sami said.”It’s very hard, It’s cold. I have no food, no drink, no money in my pocket, all finished.”
Some refugees are waiting for a smuggler to help them sneak into Macedonia. Smuggling is on the rise again. As the weather warms the number will increase.