AFP, Šentilj :
It’s the first time that Arman Butt, a Pakistani man desperately seeking to reach western Europe, sees snow.
But as the 30-year-old goes limp in the harsh chill, stuck at the Slovenian-Austrian border, he wishes it was not quite so cold.
He is one of about 50 men braving freezing temperatures and walking the short distance that separates the Austrian border post from Slovenia.
Butt is from Lahore, in the east of Pakistan. He has been on the move since September 20.
A few hours ago, he was pushed back into Slovenia by Austrian border guards. Wearing canvas shoes, his feet are frozen and he can barely walk. Yet he is determined to keep trying until he makes it across.
Slovenian civil defence teams and army troops march alongside the migrants towards Austria’s Spielfeld frontier post.
Every day, about 900 refugees and migrants who have braved freezing-cold temperatures arrive here on trains from Croatia, further south.
Most people reaching Europe’s shores have fled wars, violence and persecution in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Many others though, like Butt, are in search of a better life. They are facing major difficulties in getting across borders on the so-called Balkan migrant route to western Europe.
Another large group of men at the Slovenian border post of Sentilj — mainly Moroccans and Algerians — told AFP they have been pushed back from the Austrian frontier up to five times each in recent days, leaving them in a state of limbo between the two countries.
During the last week of December, Austrian police manning the border post of Carinthia said they had pushed back “several hundred” migrants suspected of having claimed a false nationality in a bid to get through.
The Slovenian interior ministry on Tuesday said Austria had pushed back 956 migrants since December 26.
It’s the first time that Arman Butt, a Pakistani man desperately seeking to reach western Europe, sees snow.
But as the 30-year-old goes limp in the harsh chill, stuck at the Slovenian-Austrian border, he wishes it was not quite so cold.
He is one of about 50 men braving freezing temperatures and walking the short distance that separates the Austrian border post from Slovenia.
Butt is from Lahore, in the east of Pakistan. He has been on the move since September 20.
A few hours ago, he was pushed back into Slovenia by Austrian border guards. Wearing canvas shoes, his feet are frozen and he can barely walk. Yet he is determined to keep trying until he makes it across.
Slovenian civil defence teams and army troops march alongside the migrants towards Austria’s Spielfeld frontier post.
Every day, about 900 refugees and migrants who have braved freezing-cold temperatures arrive here on trains from Croatia, further south.
Most people reaching Europe’s shores have fled wars, violence and persecution in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Many others though, like Butt, are in search of a better life. They are facing major difficulties in getting across borders on the so-called Balkan migrant route to western Europe.
Another large group of men at the Slovenian border post of Sentilj — mainly Moroccans and Algerians — told AFP they have been pushed back from the Austrian frontier up to five times each in recent days, leaving them in a state of limbo between the two countries.
During the last week of December, Austrian police manning the border post of Carinthia said they had pushed back “several hundred” migrants suspected of having claimed a false nationality in a bid to get through.
The Slovenian interior ministry on Tuesday said Austria had pushed back 956 migrants since December 26.
