



Deputy Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas and Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic agreed that there shouldn’t be separations between refugees and economic migrants.

The two officials met in Athens on Thursday to discuss the refugee issue. They agreed that the closing of the borders by certain European Union countries has created a serious problem in the refugee flow.

They also agreed that the EU must avoid arbitrary separations between economic migrants and refugees. The two ministers also strongly opposed the measure of erecting walls and fences in Europe, which sustain a climate of racism and xenophobia.

Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that Greece guards European borders.

Speaking on national broadcaster ERT3, the Greek premier underlined that Greece does play an active role in the refugee issue and is not a passive observer. “Europe must realize that Greece guards the EU borders,” Tsipras said.

“Raising fences or transferring the problem from one country to another cannot stop the inflow of refugees who come here to avoid war and poverty,” he added.



