Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras goes to the European Union summit on the refugee crisis on Monday with low hopes as several countries have essentially shut down the Balkan route for migrants.
Tsipras will come face to face with Austria, Balkan states and other central European countries that view Greece as a border guard who is incapable of doing the job.
Reports in several European newspapers during the weekend have not being very optimistic for Greece. The shutting of the Serbia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia borders is practically a given, according to European mass media.
At the same time, dozens of thousands of refugees and migrants are trapped in Greece, uncertain of their future. Meanwhile, the conditions for refugees are not ideal, as they have to face food and shelter shortages and serious hygiene problems.
The messages from Europe are not so bright for Athens as there is talk of humanitarian aid to Greece in order to cope with the migrants stranded in its soil.
Tsipras is going to the meeting to stress three crucial demands: Reduction of refugee flows from Turkey, fair distribution of refugees and responsibilities for all EU member states and consequences for countries that don’t follow EU decisions and act unilaterally.
The Greek prime minister will have bilateral meetings with Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Finally, Tsipras expects with particular interest the working lunch of EU and Turkey heads of state.
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