Explaining the EU's progress report, Commissioner for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said that procedures in so-called "hotspots" where refugees pass through should be speeded up. The document also reiterated that the effort to distribute refugees based on quotas, which was decided last autumn, is progressing too slowly. We are ready to help the countries of the region to reduce the number of refugees. This is a common interest and Austria is ready to come to the aid of the Balkan countries," said Sebastian Kurz, Austrian Foreign Minister. At this time, despite the little attention it has to the situation, hundreds of refugees arrive in the Balkans every day.

Source: News 24 March 16, 2026 12:56 UTC