Mark Henley Photography

Man disinfecting the road used by refugees and migrants to cross the border into Slovenia from Croatia, at Kljuc Brdovecki. They are brought by train, a five hour journey, mostly from Tovarnik Station, which is a bus ride from Opatovac Registration Camp close to the Serbian border. From the station they must then walk with their belongings, and often with small children, through the village to a bridge over the Sutla River two kilometers away. After this they must walk across the border into Slovenia, through fields to Rigonce were they will be held until space is available in a registration centre. The temperatures are only just above zero, and a smell of rubbish burning on fires lit for warmth at Rigonce hangs in the air.

In the previous days there have also been other routes and other destinations, and refugees have been brought to different sectors along the 'green' border by bus. No advance warning is given as to destinations. An UNHCR rapid response team follows as closely as possible these movements, in order to protect vulnerable individuals, reunite split families, as well as establishing reelationships with border authorities across frontiers, and coordinating with staff between Serbia Croatia and Slovenia.


More than 643,000 refugees and migrants arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean sea this year, including 502,500 in Greece only. Many of the refugees and migrants are desperate to move quickly onwards to Western Europe, fearing that borders ahead of them will close. As of Tuesday morning, there were more than 27,500 people on the Aegean Islands, either awaiting registration or onward transport to the mainland, and 5,000 new arrivals were recorded every day.

Man disinfecting the road used by refugees and migrants to cross the border into Slovenia from Croatia, at Kljuc Brdovecki. They are brought by train, a five hour journey, mostly from Tovarnik Station, which is t bus ride from Opatovac Registration Camp. In the previous days there have also