'Divided Europe' on verge of WAR if migrant crisis continues, warns Slovenian PM

AN ALL-OUT war could break out in Europe if the migrant crisis continues, the prime minister of Slovenia has warned.

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A war could break out in Europe if the migrant crisis continues

In a dire prediction Miro Cerar said the continent was at a tipping point and a “conflict” was inevitable if another wave of migrants made their way through Europe.

With countries across the EU tightening their borders and ignoring Brussels migrant quotas, another surge in arrivals could push the continent to breaking point. 

The numbers of asylum seekers using the Balkans route through Greece and central Europe had dropped off following an EU agreement with Turkey, but is now on the rise again.

Mr Cerar said: “Should the Balkan route be opened again, it will spark a conflict in the region - in Central Europe and the Western Balkans. 

“If too many illegal immigrants come, all countries will be closing their borders. This leads to disputes.”

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Huge numbers of migrants made their way into Slovenia during last year's crisis

He said EU states needed to join together and fight the migration surge - or face potentially devastating circumstances.

He said: “This is a divided Europe, and we know that two world wars started in such a Europe. The EU is therefore a project for peace. This is something so basic that we must not forget. 

“If the EU falls apart, then there will be borders and conflicts again.”

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Slovenia built a migrant fence to block those making their way from Croatia

The leader - whose country is on the frontline of the migrant crisis - said the EU was inching closer to becoming a tangle of walled countries and impenetrable borders, with the whole bloc a tinder box waiting for one more spark.

He said: “Then there will be a domino effect. Austria closes its border, we close our border, the Croats and the Serbs and Macedonia will have to close their borders again. Otherwise too many migrants will come to each of these countries. 

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Miro Cerar said WW1 and WW2 were sparked when Europe was as divided as it is now

“Even now it can clearly be seen that Austria is preparing for a border closure. That would be extremely hazardous to our economy and tourism.”

Mr Cerar also defended the construction of a migrant fence along the Slovenian border with Croatia, adding although the country had removed parts of it, he would not hesitate to rebuild it. 

He said: “We had to put up this fence. Not because of the migrants, but because the Croatian government brought the refugees to the border at different points repeatedly. They did not tell us where and when. 

“We have removed some parts of the fence, as it was no longer necessary. However, we also have left some of it, because we have to be prepared for a higher number of migrants, and therefore we are particularly careful at the border.”