Economic Indicators

Waking up in a refugee camp: Post-apocalyptic scenes from the Greece-Macedonia border

Limbo.
Limbo.
Image: EPA/Yannis Kolesidis
By
Caitlin Hu
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More than 36,000 migrating people are trapped in Greece, due to recent border restrictions by nearby countries. In neighboring Macedonia, economic migrants are uniformly barred from entry, as are Afghans claiming refugee status and Iraqis and Syrians from cities not directly located in combat zones. According to the AP, some have even been turned away for possessing Greek registration papers signed in black, rather than blue, ink.

A bottleneck of tens of thousands has formed around the Greek border town of Idomeni, where makeshift refugee camps sprawl through mud and fog. Below, eerie images of daily life in limbo:

Tents in a transit camp for migrants and refugees are seen on a foggy morning on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Tents in a transit camp for migrants and refugees are seen on a foggy morning on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A man near a line of clothes at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A man near a line of clothes at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A woman walks past tents on a foggy morning on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A woman walks past tents on a foggy morning on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
Thousands of migrants intending to reach western European countries are stranded in Greece as Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia have introduced special measures limiting the migrants who can enter their countries.
Thousands of migrants intending to reach western European countries are stranded in Greece as Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia have introduced special measures limiting the migrants who can enter their countries.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A man keeps warm by a fire in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A man keeps warm by a fire in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A woman walks among tents at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A woman walks among tents at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A man throws a blanket onto his tent in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A man throws a blanket onto his tent in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A man sits by the fire in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A man sits by the fire in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A man stands amid tents at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A man stands amid tents at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
Men walk between rail tracks in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on a foggy morning on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Men walk between rail tracks in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on a foggy morning on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A woman stands by the fire at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A woman stands by the fire at sunrise in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A woman keeps warm by the fire at a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A woman keeps warm by the fire at a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A couple sit at a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A couple sit at a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
A man with a scarf covering his face stands in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
A man with a scarf covering his face stands in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh
Policemen stand guard in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Policemen stand guard in a transit camp for migrants and refugees on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni, Greece, on March 11, 2016.
Image: EPA/Zoltan Balogh