BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The latest news as migrants fleeing war or seeking a better life make their way across Europe by the tens of thousands. All times local.
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12:30 a.m.
The Hungarian government says it has shut down its border with Croatia to the free flow of migrants "to protect the citizens of Hungary and Europe."
Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said early Saturday in the border village of Zakany that several hundred migrants who reached the border minutes before midnight (2200GMT) would still be allowed to enter Hungary for humanitarian reasons.
Hungary has built a razor-wire fence on the border with Croatia, mirroring a similar barrier finished last month on its border with Serbia. Both fences are meant to prevent migrants from freely entering the country while trying to reach Germany and other destinations in the European Union.
Croatia said it would begin taking migrants to its border with neighboring Slovenia to circumvent Hungary, from where they could continue their journey west.
More than 383,000 migrants have entered Hungary in 2015.
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10:50 p.m.
Slovenia has suspended regular train traffic with Croatia in anticipation of the influx of migrants wishing to reach western Europe.
The flow of people is expected to shift to Slovenia when Hungary closes its border with Croatia for migrants at midnight Friday (2200GMT.)
Slovenia has said it will accept the arrivals, but wants to control the influx. Officials say additional police have been sent to the border with Croatia to manage the flow.
Slovenia's railway said Friday it has prepared trains to transport the migrants to the refugee centers prepared for them. Most of them are expected to move on to Austria and Germany.
More than 180,000 people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa or Asia have passed through Croatia since mid-September.
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10:30 p.m.
Croatian officials say they will start sending migrants to the border with Slovenia after Hungary closes its border for migrants wishing to reach western Europe.
Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic said Friday Croatia will coordinate the migrant flow with Slovenia, which has said it wants to control the number of migrants entering the small Alpine nation.
Pusic says about 5,000 migrants on average have entered Croatia daily since mid-September. She adds that "we have succeeded in taking care of these people, but we expect the European Union to stop the wave at the Greek border."
Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic says Croatia will be transporting migrants in trains and buses to three crossings with Slovenia.
Hungary is closing down its border with Croatia to the free flow of migrants beginning at midnight Friday (2200 GMT).
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7 p.m.
Slovenia is beefing up its border controls and will create entry points for refugees to manage the influx after Hungary closes its border with Croatia and thousands turn toward the small Alpine nation.
Officials said Friday they are sending enhanced police units to the border. They say Slovenia will keep accepting refugees as long as neighboring Austria and Germany keep their borders open.
Interior Minister Vesna Gyorkos Znidar says "we want to have a controlled number of refugees arriving."
Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec says "our main objective is to provide for security and order in republic of Slovenia and make sure migrants who arrive are received properly." He says the national security council will meet Saturday.
Hungary is closing down its border with Croatia to the free flow of migrants beginning at midnight Friday (2200 GMT).
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5:20 p.m.
Europe's migration commissioner says Greece has overcome earlier delays in handling refugees while Luxembourg's foreign minister says more asylum-seekers have to apply in the first EU nation they arrive in, most often Greece.
Source: The Latest: Hungary shuts down migrant flow on Croatian border 'to protect Hungary and Europe'
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