Austria slams Turkey for exploiting human misery in migration crisis

Austria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Schallenberg on Tuesday slammed what he called "Turkey's cynical and aggressive use of human misery as a political tool," during a joint press conference in Athens with Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias.

Schallenberg announced that Austria will donate 1 million euros to the UN High Commission for Refugees representation in Greece and provide practical assistance and human resources. 

"Fourteen (Austrian) experts are in Greece already, and we are ready to provide more staff to boost efforts across the border, either bilaterally or via Frontex," Schallenberg noted.

During their press conference, both ministers highlighted the need for EU's real expression of solidarity to Greece, while Dendias said that the issue will be thoroughly discussed at the EU's Foreign Affairs Council on March 6 in Zagreb.

At the meeting, ministers will exchange views on recent developments in Syria and the besieged province of Idlib.

The current migration crisis will also be discussed at the EU's Justice and Home Affairs meeting on Wednesday, where Home Affairs ministers will also talk about the ongoing situation at the external borders of the EU.