The EU executive will discuss further measures with Italy and Greece in the coming week to help the Mediterranean states deal with irregular migrants, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced on Friday.
Asked at a news conference what, in particular, the Commission might do to help Italy, where arrivals from Libya are up a third on a year ago, Juncker noted: “I will see with the Italian prime minister, with the Greek prime minister, during the coming week what further efforts the Commission can line up to relieve Italy and Greece in their difficult struggles.”
He repeated that he had described both countries as “heroic” and said he had discussed the issue on Thursday at a meeting in Berlin with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and leaders of other big EU states which are members of the global G20.
“I said Italy and Greece … cannot be left alone in this refugee crises,’ Juncker told reporters in Tallinn, where he was meeting the Estonian government as it assumes the six-month presidency of European Union ministerial councils.
He rejected any suggestion the Union had failed to help the countries where most refugees and migrants are arriving, referring to EU funds allocated to Italy and Greece and border guard and other personnel sent to help process those arriving.
The Commission on Thursday supported a plea by Italy for fellow EU states to allow rescue boats carrying migrants to dock in their ports.
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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: EU2016 SK License: CC-BY-SA
Source: Reuters
