YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President of the European Commission (EC), Jean-Claude Juncker, gave a speech in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on September 9. Juncker touched upon the migrant crisis by the speech headlined “Time for Honesty, Unity and Solidarity”, mentioning that since the beginning of the year, nearly 500 thousand people have made their way to Europe. The vast majority of them fled from war in Syria, the terror of the Islamic State in Libya or dictatorship in Eritrea. According to him, the most affected Member States are Greece, with over 213.000 refugees, Hungary, with over 145.000, and Italy, with over 115.000. “We Europeans should remember well that Europe is a continent where nearly everyone has at one time been a refugee. Our common history is marked by millions of Europeans fleeing from religious or political persecution, from war, dictatorship, or oppression. It is Europe today that represents a beacon of hope, a haven of stability in the eyes of women and men in the Middle East and in Africa”, “Armenpress” reports, he said, urging to start activities aim to the settlement of the refugee problem.

Juncker also talked about the necessity of a new start for Greece, Eurozone and European economy. The President of the European Commission said, referring to the International Monetary Fund, “We know well how important the IMF is. Still, instead of speaking with one voice as the euro area, Belgium and Luxembourg have to agree their voting position with Armenia and Israel; and Spain sits in a joint constituency with Latin American countries”.