Law enforcement in Europe

An operational forum on countering migrant smuggling networks brings together participants from some 50 source, transit and destination countries affected by irregular migration flows, Europol has announced.

A session of the European Council for Justice and Home Affairs, JHA, scheduled for Thursday, will now not discuss the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, as a decision has been postponed to the end of the year.

The decision on Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen bids will be postponed yet again and will not be part of the agenda of the meeting of EU foreign ministers this week, according to sources close to the matter, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.

We are in the middle of one of the most contradictory moments in history. Two currents are flowing in opposite directions and pulling nation-states at both ends.

Croatia and Serbia traded ugly barbs Sept. 24 and slammed tit-for-tat border restrictions on each other as Hungary started building yet another razor-wire barrier to keep refugees out, this time from neighbouring Slovenia.

Hungary has started building a razor-wire fence along the border with Slovenia to deter a flow of illegal migrants, AP reported on Thursday.

Slovenian state news agency STA said the country wasn't informed in advance of Hungary's plans.

EC says EU members can send migrants to Serbia

The European Commission said on Monday "all EU countries can return to Serbia those migrants from third countries who do not receive asylum in the EU."

This interpretation given today is based on a readmission agreement, according to a Beta agency report.

Romania would have to pay about EUR 20.3 million to host 6,350 refugees for 10 months, as the European Commission requires, according to romania-insider.com.

The news outlet is citing Interior Ministry estimates showing that Romania will have to spend about EUR 1,120 on food and clothing for each refugee plus some EUR 1,085 per migrant for social security expenses.

The visa-free regime between Serbia and the EU has not been brought into question by the refugee crisis, Michael Davenport has said.

The head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport spoke on Thursday, stressing that the Schengen Agreement has not been suspended.

Draft amendments to Bulgaria's Criminal Code have been put forward that will see the introduction of tough measures against people smugglers and their accomplices.