Tusk warns economic migrants, voices solidarity with Greece

European countries will no longer allow economic migrants to pass through their territory, European Council President Donald Tusk has said.

“I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money,” Tusk said after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens Thursday.

“It is all for nothing. Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country,” he said.

Tusk also expressed the bloc’s solidarity with Greece as it struggles to cope with the growing crisis.

“The EU will not leave Greece alone,” he said while welcoming a European Commission decision Wednesday to grant Greece, and other Balkan states, a 700-million-euro humanitarian aid package.

Appeal to potential illegal economic migrants: Don't come to Europe. Don't believe smugglers. No European country will be a transit country

— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 3, 2016

EU will not leave Greece alone. I welcome EU Emergency Assistance instrument of € 700 mil to address humanitarian crises incl. in Greece

— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 3, 2016