BRUSSELS (AP) – The Latest on the mass migration into Europe (all times local):
11:15 a.m.
Still more refugees are arriving at the overflowing Idomeni camp on the Greek-Macedonian border despite the border being shut following a European Union-Turkey summit and a decision by countries further up the Balkan route to only allow through people with valid EU visas.
Heavy rain Wednesday increased the misery of up to 14,000 people in the camp, which long ago surpassed capacity, leaving thousands to pitch small tents donated by aid groups in surrounding fields and along railway tracks.
Yet despite the border closure and increasingly poor conditions, dozens of new arrivals were walking the more than 15 kilometer (10 miles) from a nearby petrol station, men, women and children using flimsy colored ponchos to ward off the worst of the rain and humidity to reach Europe’s largest refugee bottleneck.
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11:10 a.m.
A senior European parliamentarian who is a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party says Turkey should not become a member of the European Union.
European People’s Party chief Manfred Weber said Wednesday that the center-right bloc “is very skeptical about the idea of membership for Turkey. We actually don’t think that’s positive for either side.”
Turkey has demanded fast-track EU membership talks, an easing of visa rules for Turkish citizens and some 6 billion euros ($6.6 billion) to help Europe manage its refugee emergency.
The EPP is the biggest group in the parliament.
Echoing Merkel’s position from the past that a “privileged partnership” would be better, Weber said “if Turkey wants a partnership with us then it’s important to make sure that Turkey doesn’t turn away from Europe.”
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