Europe Faces 'Difficult Crossroads' Managing Migrant Crisis - Greek PM

Europe is at a difficult crossroads, trying to handle the largest migrant crisis in the region.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) – Europe is at a difficult crossroads in crafting an approach to the largest migrant crisis in the region since World War II, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Friday.

"This is a very difficult crossroad for the future of Europe and for its identity. We have to decide what Europe we want," Tsipras told RIA Novosti in an interview.

He contrasted the "two faces of Europe," citing the "poor Greek people" on the islands of Kos and Lesbos welcoming migrants in their homes and Hungary’s approach highlighted by the construction of border fence.

"The European idea – common future, solidarity, cooperation – was born when the Berlin Wall fell. If now somebody believes that by building new walls they will continue in this common direction, I think they are making a mistake," Tsipras underscored.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that nearly 400,000 people arrived in Greece by sea this year. Some 533,591 people are reported to have crossed the Mediterranean to reach Spain, Italy and Malta, in addition to Greece.