The refugee crisis must not be linked to the implementation of the third bailout program in Greece, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Friday, referring to an article published in the financial magazine “WirtschaftsWoche”.

According to the magazine, Germany would relax emphasis on the strict implementation of the Greek program, if Greece accepted more refugees.

Mr. Seibert repeated the need to urgently restore an “orderly situation” in the region between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean, so that refugee traffickers stop being operated undisturbed.

“This is why we are counting on Turkey’s willing cooperation. But we want to help Greece to meet effectively its obligations as a member-state of the European Union and protect its borders,” Mr. Seibert explaining that FRONTEX agency would be reinforced and Greece will also receive technical assistance and equipment.

Regarding the third bailout, he stated the implementation process should proceed independently and should not be linked with the refugee crisis, while he repeated Germany’s and Europe’s willingness to support Greece in coping with this crisis.