Europe to Migrants: We're Full
Europe is currently struggling to manage its biggest wave of refugees since WWII. Today, a top official tells economic migrants: do not fucking come here.
Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council and one of the EU’s top officials, seems to be drawing a hard line on those who aren’t explicitly fleeing war. From the FT:
“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,” Mr Tusk said in Athens after meeting with Alexis Tsipras, the Greek prime minister. “It is all for nothing. Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country.”
Mr Tusk’s remarks appear to mark a big change in EU migration policy. Although it would not affect the tens of thousands of Syrians and Iraqis fleeing war zones, it could have a major impact on Afghans, who many officials believe are not fleeing imminent danger at home and are travelling into the EU for economic reasons.
Most economists will tell you that the free flow of labor across borders is good for everyone, in the long run. But nobody ever listens, because the short run kind of sucks.
