We probably have bigger hearts than other countries, and feel greater humanity than others after what our region has been through, said Zoran Zaev during a press conference today, when asked about the outsized number of refugees from Afghanistan his Government offered to accept compared to nearly all other European countries. Zaev has arrangements in place for 650 refugees and said that Macedonia will be open to taking on 1,800 in total.

He insisted that there are no expectations that some of them refugees will seek political asylum in Macedonia, and that some have already announced they will leave in 15 days. All who arrive will be given an initial stay of 90 days.