Merkel to propose Greece partly hands over national control of borders to stem refugees

During a joint press conference with Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipila, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged EU member-states to ‘respect their moral obligation’ and offer their support Greece in guarding her borders from the influx of refugees and migrants. Her encouragement to other European countries comes a day before European leaders meet in Brussels to discuss the migration crisis and ways to address the matter. Merkel also called on Turkey to cooperate with Greece on the issue by providing aid. Sources say the German Chancellor will request from newly elected Greek PM Alexis Tsipras to concede some of Greece’s national border control to the EU institutions during Wednesday’s EU summit meeting. The reaction of the Greek PM to this proposal and the impact on public opinion in Greece is expected with great interest, especially after the country has effectively surrendered all its national economic policies to Brussels and the EU. Merkel underlined that it is imperative to highlight the reasons that force people to leave their countries, adding that the EU should focus more on creating the necessary economic and living conditions outside Europe. Both Merkel and Sipila agreed that it was necessary to set up ‘hot spots’ in the peripheral countries of the EU, like Greece and Italy who were receiving the refugees.