Press Release: President Donald Tusk visits the main countries of the Western Balkans route

European Council President Donald Tusk traveled to Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia (FYROM), Greece and Serbia on 1-4 March 2016 to continue building a consensus on how to handle the migration crisis facing Europe. He also visited Turkey to meet Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The meetings were to help prepare for the summit with Turkey and the meetings of EU leaders on 7 and 17-18 March 2016.

The tour was followed by a meeting between Mr Tusk, NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg and the Executive Director of Frontex, on 4 March 2016.

• Primary Source

European Council: Statement, 01.03.16: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting in Ljubljana with Prime Minister Miro Cerar http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/01-tusk-meeting-cerar-ljubljana/

European Council: Statement, 03.03.16: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting in Athens with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/03-tusk-remarks-tsipras-athens/

European Council: Statement, 02.03.16: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting in Zagreb with Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/02-tusk-remarks-oreskovic-zagreb/

European Council: Statement, 01.03.16: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting in Vienna with Chancellor Werner Faymann http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/1-tusk-remarks-faymann-vienna/

Politico, 03.03.16: Donald Tusk tells economic migrants: ‘Don’t come to Europe’ http://www.politico.eu/article/donald-tusk-tells-economic-migrants-dont-come-to-europe/

BBC News, 03.03.16: EU's Tusk warns illegal economic migrants: Do not come here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35714087

ESO: Background information: Greece rejects Austrian minister's visit http://www.europeansources.info/record/greece-rejects-austrian-ministers-visit/

ESO: Background information: UNHCR warns of imminent humanitarian crisis in Greece http://www.europeansources.info/record/unhcr-warns-of-imminent-humanitarian-crisis-in-greece/

The Wall Street Journal, 03.03.16: EU’s Tusk Tells Economic Migrants to Stop Coming to Europe http://www.wsj.com/articles/eus-tusk-tells-migrants-to-stop-coming-to-europe-1457001364

Deutsche Welle, 03.03.16: Tusk takes European refugee discussion to Greece http://dw.com/p/1I5uO

Kathimerini, 03.03.16: Tusk warns economic migrants, voices solidarity with Greece http://www.ekathimerini.com/206582/article/ekathimerini/news/tusk-warns-economic-migrants-voices-solidarity-with-greece

Hürriyet Daily News, 01.03.16: EU's Tusk to push Turkey for 'more intense' work on migrants http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eus-tusk-to-push-turkey-for-more-intense-work-on-migrants-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=95911&NewsCatID=351

The Local.at, 02.03.16: EU President Tusk asks Turkey to cooperate http://www.thelocal.at/20160302/tusk-asks-turkey-to-cooperate-in-vienna

The Local.at, 03.03.16: EU President tours frontline as solidarity efforts continue http://www.thelocal.at/20160303/eu-president-continues-amid-desperate-solidarity-efforts

Politico, 02.03.16: EU rejects call for security mission in the Balkans http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-rejects-call-security-mission-in-balkans-mogherini-eeas-balkan-route-refugees-migration-schengen/

ESO: Background information: International Summit: Meeting of the EU heads of state or government with Turkey, Brussels, 7 March 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/international-summit-meeting-of-the-eu-heads-of-state-or-government-with-turkey-brussels-7-march-2016/

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

European Council: Statement, 03.03.16: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting in Ankara with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/03-tusk-remarks-davutoglu-ankara/

EurActiv, 04.03.16: Tusk warns refugees away from Europe http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/tusk-warns-refugees-away-from-europe/

EUObserver, 03.03.16: EU asking Turkey to take back migrants https://euobserver.com/migration/132546

Euro|Topics: Debates, March 2016: Tusk warns off migrants http://www.eurotopics.net/en/155056/tusk-warns-off-migrants

ECFR: Commentary, 03.03.16: Working with the Western Balkans http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_working_with_the_western_balkans

Deutsche Welle, 05.03.16: Western Balkans nervously await EU-Turkey summit http://dw.com/p/1I7xc

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