 "Slovenia, Croatia ban refugee transit to other European countries")
Slovenia and Croatia in a bid to seal off the Balkan route, used by hundreds of thousands of people seeking a new life in Europe, will today ban transit of refugees passing through their territory.
The move to shut down the main route used by refugees fleeing war and persecution comes barely a day after the European Union and Turkey agreed on a proposal aimed at easing the crisis.
Slovenia's interior ministry said last night that from midnight (2300 GMT), access would only be granted to foreigners meeting the requirements to enter the country, those wishing to claim asylum, and refugees selected on a case by case basis on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with the rules of the Schengen zone.
Its neighbour and EU member Croatia, which is not part of the passport-free Schengen zone, also said it would follow Slovenia's lead.
Since 2015, more than million people from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq have crossed the Aegean Sea into Greece aiming to reach Germany and Scandinavia.
Following the influx there has been divisions among EU members on how to deal with the Europe's worst refugee crisis since the Second World War.