The EU says it is hoping to strengthen its cooperation with Balkan countries in its efforts to curb irregular migration. However, some find that deals with countries like North Macedonia are somewhat one-sided, revealing that the EU is flexing its muscle in some of Europe's most impoverished regions.
North Macedonian authorities have reportedly detained a group of 142 migrants after they entered the country irregularly from Greece. The number of migrants trying to reach the EU via the Balkan route has been on the rise lately.
Children hoping to reach Western Europe via the Balkans are frequently subjected to violence, according to a new report published by the NGO Save The Children. Border police and smugglers are the most common perpetrators, but not the only ones.
Bulgarian police have detained more than 140 Afghans near Burgas on the Black Sea coast. Authorities have announced that security at the Turkish border will be stepped up.
North Macedonian police say they discovered 87 migrants in a truck and trailer at the weekend. Two men have been arrested on suspicion of migrant smuggling.
Greek authorities say they rescued more than 164 people as they tried to sail to the Greek Islands from Turkey on Sunday. Eight others are still missing and are believed to have drowned.
She fled North Macedonia after she was assaulted, urinated on and almost raped. But German authorities have designated her home country as "safe" — and now they want to deport her and her family.
A group of 16 migrants from India have been detained by police in North Macedonia. They are reported to have been attempting to reach Greece on a new route being used by people smugglers.
Police in North Macedonia say that they have discovered 53 people crammed inside a truck. The driver of the vehicle was reportedly arrested during the police operation.
A van transporting 41 migrants was discovered by police in North Macedonia on Friday. The migrants are reported to be from Cuba and India.
Authorities in North Macedonia have discovered 42 migrants packed to the back of a truck. It appeared that they were part of a group of largely Syrian nationals due to be sent back to Greece.
In northern Greece, not far from the Greek-Macedonian border, the Nea Kavala migrant camp houses 1,200 people. It is one of the largest in the region. Isolated, not served by public transport, and now surrounded by a huge concrete wall, the camp is an "open-air prison" for its occupants.