Tighter borders force thousands to sleep at Greek gas stations

The metallic gold emergency blankets synonymous with Europe's refugee crisis have been replaced by thick felt covers distributed by the UNHCR to help ward off low temperatures as vast numbers of asylum-seekers continue arriving on Greek islands. On Saturday alone, more than 4,000 people entered the country, putting pressure on the limited capacities of camps in Athens and Idomeni.

While the number of incoming asylum-seekers remains high, Macedonia has drastically reduced its intake. Officials open and close the border without warning, creating large backlogs of people - sometimes reaching more than 2,000 - at gas stations, where they spend an average of 14-24 hours waiting outdoors, said Gemma Gillie, a communications officer for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Idomeni.

At an Eko gas station 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the Macedonian border, MSF has responded by setting up six heated tents and distributing food, along with providing medical services. "It seems the police are trying to control the flow of people so they don't cause problems in Idomeni again," said Gillie, referring to riots that ravaged the camp in December.

On days with heavy traffic, asylum-seekers may wait more than 24 hours at a single gas station. To cope with nighttime temperatures below freezing, some have taken to sleeping inside the luggage compartments beneath locked buses, said Gillie, explaining that bus drivers often leave refugees overnight when they go to sleep in nearby hotels.

Countless mothers make the voyage to Europe with newborns, said Celine Gagne, field manager for Save the Children in Idomeni. "Last night, we had a 15-day-old baby sleeping outside in eight below zero [17 degrees Fahrenheit] temperatures," she said. "This happens while, 20 kilometers away, we have heated tents in Idomeni that these people are denied access to."

Daniel Asadzade, an Iraqi Christian, arrived at the gas station at 5 a.m. Sunday morning with his friends, pictured above. The night before they slept at another rest area north of Athens. "I can't do this another night," Asadzade said. "First thing I do when I get to Germany is take a bath. Now I am thinking like a horse."

Asadzade said he paid $45 (42 euros) for the extended bus ride to Macedonia and had little money leftover after spending nearly $4,000 to reach Greece. "I'm not the only one," he said. "Many families here don't have money and we keep stopping at gas stations where we have to buy everything." "We have to pray for the border to open."

Those who buy something can stay in the dining area, but not all have cash on hand, such as this Afghan man, who was asked to leave. Theodoros Saulidis, the gas station's owner, said the high number of refugees are "good for business, but they break everything," including toilets, chairs, and the trees surrounding trees, which are stripped for firewood.

Using MSF funds, Greek volunteers George and Samantha Pappas deliver firewood to help refugees stay warm at night. Pictured above is their third and final delivery to the Eko gas station on Sunday, where more than 40 busloads of asylum-seekers would spend the night. Samantha said each truckload weighs 11 tons and costs about 1,000 euros.

With the Idomeni camp at full capacity, about 2,000 people camped out at the Eko gas station Sunday night, which is becoming a normal occurrence when arrival numbers are high in Greece, said Celine Gagne of Save the Children. "There is much more my staff would like to do for these people, but we simply can't with our current resources."