EU's Tusk warns illegal economic migrants: Do not come here
4 hours ago
European Council President Donald Tusk has warned illegal economic migrants against coming to Europe, during a new push to solve the EU migrant crisis.
He said illegal economic migrants were risking "lives and money" for nothing.
Mr Tusk is visiting Greece and Turkey to try to secure agreement on reducing the flow of migrants travelling west.
More than 25,000 migrants have been left stranded in Greece by a tightening of border controls to the north, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.
On Thursday, a group of migrants blocked a railway line on the Greek side of the border with Macedonia to protest at the restrictions.
The restrictions were imposed after several Balkan countries decided only to allow Syrian and Iraqi migrants across their frontiers. Austria also decided to limit numbers.
The move effectively barred passage to thousands of people seeking to reach western Europe illegally, including Afghans as well as some more likely to be regarded as economic migrants.
After meeting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens on Thursday, Mr Tusk said he was appealing to "all potential illegal economic migrants", wherever they may be from.
"Do not come to Europe," he said. "Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing."
He also said EU member states must avoid taking unilateral action to deal with the migrant crisis.
French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said his country could allow migrants to travel unchecked to the UK if British voters chose to leave the European Union in a June referendum.
He said an exit vote in the referendum could end a bilateral deal allowing the UK to vet new arrivals on French territory.
"The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," Mr Macron told the Financial Times newspaper.
Authorities in Calais have been clearing part of a sprawling camp known as the Jungle, from where many migrants are trying to enter the UK illegally.
... Europe was ready to grant "substantial financial support" to countries neighbouring war-torn regions such as Syria and Iraq.
"But at the same time we expect a more intensive engagement from our partners as an absolute precondition to avoid a humanitarian disaster.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.
EU's Tusk warns illegal economic migrants: Do not come here - BBC News
