Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras talked to public broadcaster ERT3 and expressed Greece’s determination not to remain in the position of a passive observer, but to claim an active role, as it has already done, by taking relevant initiatives on the refugee issue.

In his statement, Mr. Tsipras underlined that “Greece is giving a battle to address the refugee issue as a common problem of all European countries, as well as a problem of the neighbouring countries”

He noted that “Greece meets its European obligations to set up reception and identification centres for refugees”, and he underlined: “Europe must realize that Greece guards the EU borders.”

“Neither the fence nor the transfer of the problem from one country to another can stop the inflow of refugees as a result of war and poverty,” he added.