Merkel CRITICISES closure of popular migrant route which has seen THOUSANDS enter Europe
ANGELA Merkel has hit out at the closure of the Balkan route which has seen more than 700,000 migrants enter Europe since last year.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticised the closure of the controversial Balkan route
The German Chancellor claims the closure of the route, which passes through European Union member states such as Slovenia and Hungary, has not solved the migrant crisis which has crippled Europe.
Merkel, who has previously stated she regrets her open-door migration policy, said: “If you ask me if the closure of the Balkan route has solved the problem, I will say ‘No’.”
More than 750,000 migrants have passed through the Balkan route since last year
She claimed the only viable solution was to implement the EU-Turkey refugee deal.
Under the plan, Turkey takes back refugees arriving on Greek islands from the country in return for financial perks and visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.
Border protection agency Frontex report 764,038 illegal crossings of borders in the Balkan region in 2015.
This number is a 16-fold increase from 2014, where 43,460 unlawful crossings were recorded.