♪ damien: hello and welcome to "focus on europe," where we hope to show you some of the human stories behind the major headlines. i'm damien mcguinness. thanks very much for joining us. on the show today -- hungary builds a new iron curtain. the cold arctic goes cold war. and why slovenia is really worth its salt. just over two and a half decades ago, a fence in hungary made history, and for many germans friends of mine, it remains an emotional moment. that's when at the end of the 1980's hungary dismantled its

border to allow east germans to flee through hungary to the west. this was one of the key moments that led to the collapse of communism in eastern europe. and still today many people here in germany are grateful to hungary for that decision. now though another hungarian fence is getting attention. but this time it isn't about letting desperate people in. but rather keeping them out. reporter: it's a new iron curtain, being erected by soldiers along the serbian border. the fence will be four meters high, and 175 kilometers long, topped with barbed razor wire. hungary's government sees building it as a matter of national defense. these are the people they're trying to keep out. migrants, most of whom have been on the road for months. now they're stuck, shortly before they reach their goal. >> we want to ask you something. >> well, we are humans, we are not animals. so if they bring the fence, they don't want to us to cross.

we have to die. >> we want everybody to be free. >> nobody have to die. reporter the fence will be done : in a few days. every day, more than 1500 people try to cross the border from serbia into hungary, traveling along what's called the balkan route. most come from central asia. hungarian authorities are struggling to cope. the right-wing nationalist goverment is spending 21 million euros on a fence to stem the flow. balazs nemeth is mayor of the town of bacsalmas, near the serbian border. it's directly on the route the migrants take. nemeth is in favor of the fence. he believes it might act as a deterrent. >> the fence will be a real hurdle. people who try to break through it will be committing a crime.

once it's up, crossing the border will no longer mean just strolling over it. reporter but even mohammed, who : has made his way here from afghanistan on crutches, says a fence won't stop them. >> people who are running for their lives will find a way to cross the fence. they'll climb over it or dig under it. my suggestion to hungary is make the fence a bit lower in some spots. then even disabled people like me will be able to cross it! reporter: it's a bit of black humor, but mohammed also knows it's a matter of survival. there aren't many people in hungary willing to help the migrants. balazs szalai is one of them. he's opposed to the fence, and believes hungary is sending the

wrong signal to europe about the challenges that lie ahead. >> this fence is a message. first our government spread xenophobic propaganda, and now it's drumming up support from people who are afraid of migrants. but in reality, the government can't cope with the migrants, and isn't fulfilling its obligations to the european union. reporter: right before these migrants cross into the eu, they find themselves stranded on the serbian side, in the town of subotica. an abandoned brick factory has become a gathering point for people who have been on the road for months. they are hungry, thirsty, and at the end of their strength. pastor tibor varga is trying to help wherever he can. this young man needs a doctor. almost 100,000 migrants have already arrived here this year. their goal is to reach western europe.

pastor varga does what he can, but it's a drop in the bucket. and once the fence goes up, things will grow even more difficult here. >> it's like a dam. what happens when there's too much water? it finds a way over the dam, and breaks through it, if there's no other way. that's what will happen with the flow of refugees. they'll break through the dam at its weakest point. europe isn't taking this seriously enough. they need to step in. reporter fences are a less than : ideal solution to the problem. once the fence here is complete, the migrants will just head for nearby romania to make the crossing into hungary. then they'll be in the schengen area, with open borders to western europe. for the migrants, no risk is too great to escape war and poverty at home.

damien: now to our special series in which we profile europeans who live by the sea. and this week we're off to the far north -- to the arctic -- where according to some, a new, quite literally "cold" war is brewing. the consensus is, that global warming is making the ice melt. which means that shipping routes are opening up. and vast amounts of arctic oil and gas are suddenly becoming more accessible. so the race is on among arctic nations to see who can claim ownership of the territory -- a race which is being particularly hard fought between russia and norway -- both countries which have built their economies on extracting natural resources. the ice may be thawing. but tensions certainly aren't.

reporter nature lovers from all : over the world have traveled thousands of kilometers for this experience -- a visit to the arctic ocean. off the coast of the norwegian island of spitzbergen they'll see unforgettable things. here nature is practically untouched -- a home to whales, seals, and polar bears. the tour guide on the cruise boat is vadim prudnikov -- a russian who has spent his summers on spitzbergen for years. he can't imagine a more beautiful place. during the soviet era, his countrymen used to mine coal here. >> in the nineties, we left many settlements in the north. we should not have left that easy. we have good harbors, good facilities, weather stations, infrastructure in place. and many places have been abandoned, like barentsberg, is

one of them for example. but in russia, we still have many of them. so we need to take care of them. it's our land. reporter russian president : vladimir putin wants to revive the russian settlements on spitzbergen. the arctic ocean is thought to be harbor huge natural resources with possibly vast amounts of oil and gas buried in the seabed hundreds of meters below the surface. but it's not clear who these resources belong to. all five of the countries bordering the arctic ocean -- norway, denmark, russia, the us, and canada -- have claimed territory here. moscow is employing more than words to cement its claim -- military maneuvers accompanied its first exploratory drilling. putin has officially declared the arctic to be a key russian interest, and has ordered the construction of a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers. the norwegians view the russian moves with growing concern. longyearbyen, the capital of

spitzbergen, is home to odd olsen ingero -- the governor of the svalbard archipeligo. everyone who comes to spitzbergen is subject to his authority -- including the russians. but his observation ship is not permitted to patrol more than 12 nautical miles offshore. sovereignty over the sea beyond that limit is disputed. the norwegians and russians are competing in the search for oil and gas reserves. >> in norway, we are discussing how far north we should allow our companies to conduct exploratory drilling -- and ultimately, also to pump oil and gas. reporter: in russia, such things aren't publicly discussed, but decided by fiat. the dispute over rights in the arctic has soured relations between the two countries. russia has missed few opportunities to provoke its much smaller neighbor.

for example, russian deputy prime minister dmitry rogozin recently paid an unannounced visit to spitzbergen, defying a european union entry ban on him ordered in response to russia's annexation of crimea. >> everyone was got worked up about it -- both the governor here and the government in oslo. many viewed the visit as an attack on norway's sovereignty. and they fear that in the end we could lose control over the archipelago to russia. russia's new interest in the arctic is manifest here in the russian settlement of barentsburg, where many buildings were refurbished this summer. during the soviet era, it had about 1,500 inhabitants. now only around 500 people live here. the coal deposits are almost exhausted. how do people make a living here today? this tour guide says today

barentsburg is primarily a site for tourism. but what do huge radar installations have to do with tourism? the norwegians assume that the purpose of the russian settlements on spitzbergen now is to conduct espionage. >> the russians make no bones out it. the only rean they don't wa to give up their settlemts spitzbergen after the end of coal minin because they can observe what goes on in the arctic oce from here. reporter: at the moment, spitzbergen not exactly a showcase for peaceful coexistence. and the norwegians fear they'll end up with the short end of the stick. the dispute over the arctic has even extended to the polar research station. for years, jon aars and his team worked together with russian colleagues, counting polar bears and tagging them with electronic

transmitters and id collars. russia has now stopped the project, to the dismay of both the noegiaand e russian scientists. >> this was a political decision. i know that my russian colleagues really wish that we can soon count bears together ai reporter: the norwegian polar bear researchers have continued their work. as has russian tour guide vadim. he'll keep showing tourists the breathtaking natural beauty of spitzbergen while the conflict over the arctic and its resources goes on. damien: beautiful. greenpeace has warned that both russia and norway are trying to turn the arctic into the next saudi arabia dotted with oil wells. who do you think the arctic belongs to? russia, canada or denmark, which have all laid claims to part of it?

or should we just leave it to the penguins and the polar bears? let me know what you think about that or any of today's stories. of course when you mention russia these days, it's hard not to think about the conflict in ukraine. when it broke out last year, many in britain and the us started talking as if there was a natural divide between a pro-moscow russian-speaking east, and a pro-european ukrainian-speaking west. in fact traditionally the two communities are closely intertwined. that's one reason why the conflict which is tearing the country apart is so painful. but the fighting rages on and more soldiers are needed. so compulsory conscription has been introduced -- but many young men on both sides don't want to fight their fellow ukrainians. and so they are ripping up their draft papers and fleeing the country -- particularly to neighboring poland. and they're often supported by their families who don't want to lose their sons in an increasingly unpopular war.

reporter vova from eastern : ukraine cuts out flowers and decorates polish bicycles with them. it's a peaceful gesture, in stark contrast with the war he left behind. when separatists began to pressure him to build bombs for them, he fled to poland. vova just doesn't want to fight -- for either side -- in this war. >> i don't care whether it's for the ukrainians or the russians. i don't want to have to kill. reporter: we ask him whether many young men fled to avoid killing. >> a lot. really a lot. reporter: and what happened to them? >> i know about 10 people who are living in warsaw now for that exactly reason. reporter: the woman who owns the

bicycle is pleased with the decoration, but vova is emotionay torn. is he duty-bound to defend his country, rather than decorate bicycles? living as an immigrant in poland isn't easy for him. dima -- a student here -- feels much the same. he's drawn again and again to the "ukrainian world" -- a meeting place in the middle of warsaw. dima helps out where he can, preparing events. ukrainian authorities have ordered him to take a medical exam. he's patriotic, but doesn't want to be drafted. >> there are lots of problems. the army can't even provide clothing. it lacks protective vests, and helmets. without this minimum of equipment, it's terribly difficult in this war. because they don't just shoot at you, they also throw hand grenades. heavy weapons are being used. reporter under conditions like : that, who would be willing to enlist? surprisingly, quite a few.

at the "ukrainian world", as an act of solidarity, fugitives send letters to soldiers who are fighting or wounded. dima writes letters like this whenever he's here -- a kind of apology for remaining safe in poland. everyone who flees the crisis region for poland comes here first. it's like a bit of home, a microcosm of ukrainian society. here ex-pats exchange news, swap information on jobs and apartments, and receive help dealing with polish bureaucracy. alexei comes from kyiv. he feels liberated here. >> i'm here about my residence permit, so i can stay here. i only have another 2 months before my visa expires. i don't want to have to return to ukraine. these are bad times. there's so much corruption, total corruption. and the mobilization. things like that just drive you away.

reporter: vova from the bicycle workshop stops by regularly to keep up with events at home. it's easier to endure bad news in company. youtube has become a primary source of information. it shows bombs exploding. and this week fighting flared up again. no one here has faith anymore in the minsk protocol. when the conflict worsens, more refugees come. the head of the "ukrainian world", mateusz kramek, says the center is already preparing for the next wave of fugitives. mateusz knows how the young men feel. >> russia and ukraine are closely tied. there are family and ethnic bonds. these men just don't want to have to shoot at their own brothers and cousins. reporter: vladimir is tense. russian is his mother tongue, but he's for the ukrainian side. separatists have put him under

massive pressure -- threatening him, but also making him feel guilty. one sent him a text saying you can't run away from yourself... you ought to fight for your ancestors. and what are you doing? burn in hell! "i'm not a traitor", vladimir wrote back. they responded with even uglier insults. vladimir was involved in some fighting -- on the ukrainian side. it seemed unreal to him. >> you can't really call it a fight. i was in the battle zone, but we had no rifles. we only had clubs, like on the maidan. what can you do with clubs against people who are fully armed? reporter: vladimir is tired of living so far from home, and now wants to return to the army. he's heard it's finally gotten more equipment. before the war it never occurred to him that he might one day be a soldier. he helped people. he was a therapist for drug addicts. but those days are long gone.

damien: difficult situation for both sides of the conflict. finally to the slovenian coast, where since the middle ages salt has been harvested by hand. today salt is just something we chuck on our fish and chips along with the vinegar. or at least we do where i come from. but for thousands of years empires were built on it. and wars fought over it. it was a precious commodity which for slovenia was an important source of wealth. nowadays salt is still harvested by hand by people whose families have worked in the salt fields for generations. but like so many traditional industries it is now uner threat. so slovenians have come up with some rather ingenious ways of keeping the saltworks alive. reporter: the sun is both their enemy and their friend. without the sun, there's no salt. so salt harvesters have to get up early. >> if we start at 5 in the morning, then it's a bit cooler, at least until 10 am. and the water is cooler too.

by evening, the water can be 70 to 80 degrees celsius. it's exhausting when the water turns to steam right beneath your feet! reporter: dario kriznan often starts work when it's still dark out. salt harvesters rely on the sun, but after ten in the morning it's too hot to work. and harvesting salt by hand is back-breaking work. here in piran, they've been using the same techniques to do it for 700 years. after just a few hours, the sun has risen over the top of the hill. suddenly it's scorching, with temperatures approaching 40 degrees celsius in the shade. but there's no shade here. >> my grandfather worked the salt pans. when i was a boy, he always told me it was good, hard work. i internalized that, and that's

why i work here. reporter: dario used to work in an office but he can't imagine doing that anymore. this is his life's work. he presses on, filling one trolley after the next with salt. each weighs nearly a ton. the short incline at the end is especially brutal. >> when it gets to be too much, we usually help each other. we can all manage the first two or three trolleys on our own. but when it's more, you just don't have the strength to get up the hill. reporter: but the hard work pays off. the harvesters end up with a premium quality salt. the crowning glory is the top layer, called the fleur de sel. >> the scent is wonderful. you should try it! it's called fleur de sel.

the fleur de sel is the first salt that collects in the pans. it's like ice on the surface of the water. we harvest it with special nets. reporter: that's what dario sau is doing. he's been the production manager at the piran salt works for 25 years now, and is a real expert. fleur de sel is delicate, and has to be harvested with care. and you need to pick exactly the right moment to harvest it. any later, and the sun spoils the flavor. sau's family has worked the salt pans for four generations. >> it's always been hard work, then and now. you have to really want it. but if that desire is in you, you can do great things.

reporter but even a true passion : for the work can't overcome market forces. the global market is dominated by cheap, industrially produced salt. piran is feeling the pinch. twenty years ago, production was twice what it is today. but now they're producing a niche product. >> we see our future in the gourmet programs, all around the world. our products are used by best chefs and also by people who give something for the quality of food they eat. reporter in recent years, the : workers heres have been able to boost production and sales again. and they're still trying to create new market opportunities. right next to the salt farm, there's a spa that offers thalasso treatments -- everything from salt scrubs to salt-mud masks to relaxing baths in salt water. here, salt is a luxury product.

>> salt treatments are very popular. a lot of clients have started to come from abroad -- from italy, austria, and other countries. reporter: but the salt farm no longer makes a profit to speak of. and there are limits to how much they can produce, because customers want reliable delivery. last year, the weather was the worst it's been in 50 years, and production crashed. >> if salt sales don't go up, then quite honestly, this won't be a secure job anymore. i'm sorry to have to say it, but soon we won't have enough work to give jobs to future generations.

reporter: but dario and the rest haven't given up hope. salt harvesters are a hardy bunch, and determined. it's not just a job for them. >> the salt, it's like it's our creation. people consume it, which is a satisfying feeling. the more beautiful the salt, the more satisfaction is gives us! reporter: dario says a salt harvester can spend 40 years on the job, and still learn something new every day. it's an age-old art, and he's doing his best to keep the tradition alive. damien: well, that's it for today. thanks very much for watching. remember do drop me a line with your comments about what you liked or what you didn't like on twitter, email or facebook. but for now it's goodbye from the whole team here, and join us for more stories from all over europe next week. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ♪

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underwriting for the production of autoline this week has been provided by: tenneco, borgwarner, and deloitte. from the autoline studios, here is your host, john mcelr i want to thank you all for joining us on autoline this week, where we're going to be talking about competitive intelligence. how do car companies and suppliers keep track of what the competition is up to and all about? i've got three experts to talk about that today including: adam bernard with general motors, he's