Europe Has to Open Humanitarian Corridors for Afghani Refugees

Europe has to create humanitarian corridors for refugees fleeing from Afghanistan in orther to avoid uncontrolled flows of illegal immigrants, Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Tuesday in an interview.

"I think that Europe will inevitably have to equip itself for humanitarian corridors and organised reception, also to avoid uncontrolled flows of illegal immigrants. Or, at least, the countries that are willing to do so, should," he told Italian daily il Messaggero.

European Union foreign ministers will hold a crisis meeting on Tuesday to discuss the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban Islamist militants.

At the same time Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said on Tuesday that his country does not want to become the entry point into the EU for Afghans fleeing the escalating conflict in their homeland. He called for a common EU response to the crisis.

"We are clearly saying that we will not and cannot be the gateway of Europe for the refugees and migrants who could try to come to the EU," Mitarachi told state television ERT. "We cannot have millions of people leaving Afghanistan and coming to the EU ... and certainly not through Greece," he said.