Macedonians allow migrants to continue toward Serbia

Macedonians allow migrants to continue toward Serbia

The police attempted to force this group of refugees from the Middle East - who entered Macedonia before a state of emergency was declared on Thursday - back to Greece and clashed with them.

A police officer was stabbed with a knife during the incident, according to local media.

Macedonian authorities on Friday announced that in the future, only a limited number of migrants belonging to "vulnerable categories" will be allowed to enter the country.

Special police forces have been deployed along the southern border with Greece on Thursday and have not allowed any migrants to cross the border.

Barbed wire has been set up along both sides of the railroad near the Gevgelija-Idomeni border crossing, and along several kilometers of the border.

It is expected that the police will be replaced by Macedonian soldiers during the day. The soldiers have already arrived at the train station in Gevgelija and were on Friday afternoon sitting in parked armored vehicles.

In a bid to stem the rising tide of refugees from the Middle East entering Macedonia illegally from Greece, special police forces used stun grenades in areas around the border.

A state of emergency was declared along Macedonia's southern and northern borders with Greece and Serbia, respectively.