February 19 (SeeNews) - Police directors of Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Macedonia, and Slovenia agreed to cooperate on stronger migrant control at the state borders as of Friday, the government in Belgrade informed.
The police chiefs from the countries along the Balkan migrant route also agreed on a joint refugee profilation and registration at a meeting in Croatia's capital Zagreb on Thursday.
Stricter control and prevention of illegal migration will be implemented as soon as on Friday at the Greek-Macedonian border, acting director of the Serbian police Vladimir Rebic said in the statement.
A new photo personal form will be issued for easier passage of migrants through all the countries on the Balkan route, Rebic added.
According to him, the new procedure will prevent significant redirection of migrants back to Macedonia.
Meanwhile Austria's ministry of interior introduced on Friday daily limits for refugees entering the country regardless of the European Commission's request to suspend that decision, local news agency APA informed. Maximum of 80 asylum applications are now excepted per day, the new measures imply.
Interior minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner was quoted as saying that the new quota will be limited further in the future. Austrian borders are now open for migrants from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm.
Seekers of refugee status in other countries will be able to transit Austria but in limited numbers of 3,200 a day, or 200 per hour. Those who arrive outside working hours will have to wait on the Slovenian side.