Commenting on the refugee crisis and the closing off of the Western Balkan route, European Commission Spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said Thursday that unilateral actions by EU member states were unhelpful during the press briefing. The spekesperson, however, did make it clear through his answers to the press that the commission considers it fruitless to continue the ‘blame game’ on the borders matter and it is necessary to shift the efforts on what should be done from now on to deal with the reality of the closed borders.

He underlined that in the estimation of the commission Greece is shouldering a disproportionate part of the crisis. On the matter of financial and material aid provided by the Commission to Greece to deal with the flows of illegal migrants and refugees, which includes NGOs and international organisations, he expressed the body’s frustration on the whole crisis.

Meanwhile, European Commissioner on Migration matters Dimitris Avramopoulos expressed his satisfaction on the progress of humanitarian aid reaching the refugees in Greece. Speaking at the Council of Interior Ministers in Brussels, he outlined the Commission’s goal to reach an agreement for the relocation of 6,000 refugees a month from Greece and Italy to other EU member-states. Avramopoulos added thatb the whole process of refugee relocation was moving at a slow pace.