“Greece is the only country that is fulfilling its obligations”, the leftist leader said, adding that it was now hosting 30,000 refugees. Tusk said to migrants not to risk their lives or money to make a perilous trip to Europe “for nothing” but said unilateral actions by European Union states to deal with the crisis must stop. So far, more than 131,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to reach Europe this year, United Nations figures show – more than the total number for the first five months of 2015.
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European Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday that the EU has increased its pressure on Turkey to consider a major escalation in refugee deportations from Greece.
“Prime Minister Davutoglu also confirmed Turkey’s readiness to take back all migrants apprehended in Turkish waters”, Tusk said.
While the commission has not confirmed the information obtained by German media it is said that this is simply because the report is not totally ready but should be released by Friday, according to a spokeswoman.
Speaking in Brussels Friday, Dimitris Avramopoulos presented a roadmap for restoring the EU’s Schengen zone, which has come under strain due to the worst refugee crisis facing Europe since World War II.
The 26-country Schengen area – allowing passport-free travel from Iceland to Greece – is under threat as a series of countries have reintroduced border controls to stem the flow of migrants through the bloc.
Temporary border controls inside Schengen expire in May and would only be lifted if Greece, which has been overwhelmed with the influx, ensures proper controls on its borders rather than wave people through to wealthier European states.
“Cooperation with Turkey and the summit on Monday are so crucial”, he said.
“The UNHCR will be exhausted to hear about irregular migrants coming to Greece”.
“I know the border is closed but I want to go to Germany, I will try, try, try”, said Mohamed, an Egyptian who plans to pay smugglers to sneak into Macedonia through the hills.
“Many people who arrived last night slept outside because they don’t have tents”, said an aid worker from Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which put up some of the people in its field hospital for sick children.
At the Greek-Macedonian border, migrants from countries like Egypt and Pakistan – and therefore not classed as refugees – remained undeterred, despite the many hurdles.
Macedonia is seeking to join the EU.But it has rankled EU officials recently by erecting a barbed-wire fence at its border with Greece to prevent hundreds of thousands of migrants from transiting the country on their way to northern Europe.
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UNHCR suggested fully implementing the “hot spot” approach and the relocation of asylum seekers out of Greece and Italy while returning those who do not qualify for refugee protection. Six EU countries are not part of the zone – they have either opted out of the agreement, or are still waiting to be admitted.
