EU can’t let Greece plunge into ‘chaos’ in refugee crisis

Last summer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stared down Athens in a debt-crisis showdown, forcing Greece to agree to tough austerity measures and spurring critics to cast her as a heartless hegemon.

Austria, the last stop on the way to Germany for hundreds of thousands of migrants, recently imposed restrictions on its borders, setting it off a domino effect limiting the flow of people and leaving hundreds stranded in Greece.

“But while I am the chancellor, I am solving the problems the country faces”, Merkel said on Sunday in an interview with German ARD TV channel. “What’s right for Germany in the long term?”

Germany’s hardline finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, hinted that Europe’s powerhouse might be willing to cut Greece some slack as it struggles with the dual task of dealing with the refugee crisis and enacting punishing reforms, according to the Guardian.

“I know the financing needs of Greece“, said Mr. Schaeuble adding that Greece should focus on respecting the agreements reached in the European support program while being under pressure because of the refugee crisis.

Merkel is aiming for an EU-wide deal on refugees at an emergency summit next week before three German states vote March 13 in the first electoral test of her policy. “Refugees don’t have the right to choose the country in which they want to be granted asylum”, Merkel told reporters.

 Greece, which has been the main entry point for people arriving to Europe, was angered by the decision to impose border controls, made by the group of countries led by Austria, and responded by recalling its ambassador to Austria. The refugee crisis is inside Europe, touching millions. The authorities say about 1,000 people will be affected whereas aid groups say the number is much higher.

The survey shows that only 11 percent of Germans disagree with the idea of an upper limit placed on the number of asylum seekers the country takes in, the poll by Infratest showed.

Drawing on its experience in curbing migrant numbers from Kosovo past year with a local media campaign, Austria will pay for huge posters to be put up in Afghanistan’s five biggest cities as well as for adverts on more than 1,000 Afghan websites and in daily newspapers, the Interior Ministry said.

“If it becomes necessary to use the army, we will activate that option”.

If spending were to spiral, it could further weaken Merkel’s fading support.

Neighbouring Slovenia approved such a move last month after amending existing laws.

Oreskovic said Croatia favoured a European Union-wide solution to the migrant crisis.