Tsipras visits refugee centers in Lesvos with Austrian Chancellor Faymann

"Lesvos shows a different face to refugees," he told journalists during their tour of the island's facilities. "Lesvos is a small island that receives huge flows of refugees, who come from Syria's war zone seeking a better future in Europe," he added and reiterated that the refugee crisis is a European and worldwide problem which has to be dealt with jointly.

The Austrian Chancellor, who had an opportunity to see for himself the strain placed on public services from the continuous arrivals of refugees and migrants, said the problem has to be addressed by the European Union as a whole. "Addressing the refugee problem can only be done in a unified manner by the countries of the European Union."

Their visit on the island concluded at the open reception center "The Village of all-together" where the two officials confirmed the close cooperation of the two countries on the management of the refugee crisis and "the need for a gradual approach to the issue, to ensure both the efficiency and the necessary humanitarian parameter."

AMNA