The migrant crisis in Europe is heading towards disaster. With estimates of 16 million refugees fleeing the war in Syria and many hoping to make a new home in Europe, Donald Tusk has blatantly told economic migrants to stay away.

Do not come to Europe, Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing. Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country.

He made the statement at a news conference in Greece and shows how the systems that are in place to deal with refuges has been stretched to the limit. It would appear that the refugees have made reduced the tolerance for other migrants. The European Union in an effort to stem the tide of refugees have blocked passage from Greece. Thousands of refugees camped on the Greek/Macedonian border have been left with no chance of moving on into central Europe. This has lead to violent clashes in the camps.

Even though his speech was aimed at migrants rather than refugees It does signal a hardening of policy towards people moving out of the Middle East and Africa. Tusk also visited Turkey hoping to talk the authorities into doing more but with over 2 million refugees being accommodated in Turkey, there is little more Turkey can do. The Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu has reiterated the need to create a safe zone in Syria itself.

Greece is suffering from an economic meltdown and the added strain the refugee crisis is placing on the country could see it sink further into the quagmire. The Council of the European Union will be meeting on Monday to try and come up with solution to the crisis. Many Europe watches believe that at best they may deliver some stop gap measures to reduce the tide of refugees.