VOA Special English
Don't Come to Europe, EC Chief Tells Migrants

    2016/3/6

    Migrants should not travel to Europe, says European Council President Donald Tusk.

    "I want to appeal to all potential illegal, economic migrants wherever you are from," Tusk said. "Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money; it is all for nothing."

    The EU president said the number of migrants crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey remains too high. Migrant smuggling continues to be a major problem. Measures must be in place to stop the illegal movement.

    "Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country," he said.

    Migrants walk through a field near the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Friday, March 4, 2016. More than 10,000 mostly Syrian and Iraqi refugees were stuck at the country's Idomeni border as Greek officials said that nearly 32,000 migrants were stranded in the country after drastically reduce of number of transiting migrants.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
    Migrants walk through a field near the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Friday, March 4, 2016. More than 10,000 mostly Syrian and Iraqi refugees were stuck at the country's Idomeni border as Greek officials said that nearly 32,000 migrants were stranded in the country after drastically reduce of number of transiting migrants.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

    Tusk praised Turkey for clamping down on illegal migration and the smugglers who transport them.

    Tusk is on tour of nations have trouble dealing with the migrant issue.

    I'm Jim Dresbach.

    Jim Dresbach wrote this story for Learning English. Information for his report came from three news agencies: AP, AFP and Reuters. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

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    Words in This Story

    migrantn. a person who goes from one place to another, usually for economic reasons

    smugglern. a person who moves someone or something from one country into another illegally and secretly

    clamping down – v. to try harder to punish people who are doing something that is not legal or proper