The Macedonian army on Monday began building a fence along its border with Greece to prevent migrants from entering the country, according to reports. The fence, which will be more than 30 kilometers long, is being constructed five meters from a fence that was put up in November at the crossing at Gevgelija, a border town in southern Macedonia. “The idea is to send a message to migrants that there is a double fence, so give up crossing illegally,” an army official told the AFP news agency. Since November only migrants fleeing war from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq have been allowed access to Macedonia to continue their journey to Western Europe. * [European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker] Also On Politico JUNCKER DROPS GREECE, BETS ON MACEDONIA Florian Eder More than 68,000 refugees have been registered entering Macedonia since the beginning of the year. Police stopped around 4,000 people trying to cross the country illegally last month. EU member states plan to send more border guards to Macedonia’s border with Greece in a bid to stem the flow of migrants. Macedonia in early February introduced restrictions at its border with Greece, only allowing passage to refugees wishing to go to Germany or Austria.
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