According to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the closing of the Balkan route does not solve the crisis in the long-term. In an interview cited by BTA, she stated that the closing of borders on the Balkans has merely deflected people seeking asylum to Greece and has put the country in an even harder situation. “The closing of the Balkan route did reduce the number of people entering Germany indeed, but it increased the number of people entering Greece,” added Merkel. She pointed out that in the weeks before the agreement with Turkey was signed, 45,000 people sought asylum in Greece. “If this number is estimated, compared to the population of Germany, it is like having 360,000 people coming here in such a short period of time – much more than the worst month last year – November,” explained Merkel and added that she insists on a radically new approach to the refugee problem due to the ever increasing flow towards Europe. Days before her visit to Africa, Merkel admitted that it is Germany’s fault that the Dublin Agreement is not functioning because the country opposed the wish of EU member-states with external borders for common defence of the borders. “We opposed the quota principle for distribution of refugees of which we are now trying to convince all European members-states. Now, these people, however, are in front of our door and to ignore them or send them away will not solve the crisis,” said Merkel.
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