Closing Balkan Borders to Refugees is Ineffective
Statement by Sarah Costa, Executive Director
We are disturbed by the Balkan states' closing of their borders against refugees who have fled terrible violence and persecution. This action will not deter desperate people from making the perilous journey to Europe, it will only increase the already elevated risk of violence to women and girls as more and more refugees are trapped in overcrowded and unsafe transit centers in Greece. We hope that today's summit will restore unity and that the governments of Europe will work toward solutions for the more than one million refugees seeking safe haven.