The refugee crisis tops the agenda of talks Tsipras will hold in Brussels

This afternoon, Greek Prime Minsiter Alexis Tsipras will meet with European Commission head Jean Claude Junker. German chancellor Angela Merkel and Jean Claude Junker have openly expressed their opposition to closing Greece’s borders.
Junker stated that history will justify Merkel’s views on the refugee crisis and that she will overcome criticism.

EU Summit

Tomorrow morning Tsipras will hold a meeting with Angela Merkel and Turkish prime Minister Ahmet Davudoglu, while a “mini summit” οf 11 member states and Turkey will follow, called by Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann.

Austria said it would sharply tighten border controls and impose daily limits on the number of asylum seekers allowed to enter the country, a move that could set off a domino effect elsewhere along the migrant trail from Greece.

Donald Tusk in Athens

“It’s not the time for exits, it’s time to join our forces to address global and regional challenges in order to tackle the refugee, economic and security crisis,” said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in joint press conference with President of the European Council Donald Tusk after their meeting on Tuesday morning.

“Regarding the management of refugee flows we underlined that this is an international and European challenge and a joint European approach is needed with respect to international law, solidarity and fair burden sharing” he said.

“We stressed the importance to intensify efforts to deal with Syrian issue and global terrorism. We also agreed that it is necessary to put forward all the decisions taken and concern each stage of refugee flows, reducing flows from Turkey and establishing a relocation process from Turkey to Europe,” Mr. Tsipras said.

Mr. Tusk clarified that “the alleged exclusion of Greece from Schengen area is not a solution. It does not solve any problem. It does not put an end to the war in Syria”.