Greece rejects return to pre-crisis migration rules

Finance ministers meeting in Bratislava on Friday warned against letting deficits grow in the two countries.

“At the time of Brexit, and while populism is on the rise in Europe, it is very important to send a message of cohesion and contribute to the dialogue from southern Europe”, French President Francois Hollande stressed.

But Renzi, who has often challenged fiscal orthodoxy, stressed Friday that “we are at a phase where Europe can not go on being just about rules and technicalities”.

Friday’s meeting was held against the backdrop of faltering growth in the bloc, a deepening migrant crisis and British plans to quit the EU.

A showdown is expected in Bratislava, with the Visegrad four already holding their own meeting in June to present a united front.”There is a clear need for southern European Union states to coordinate their position in order to counterbalance the Visegrad bloc”, said analyst George Pagoulatos.

The Dublin Regulation that governs Europe’s Schengen passport-free area stipulates that people wishing to apply for asylum must do so in the first member country they arrive in.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said number-crunching needed a rethink. “The Europe of tomorrow must above all be based on core values because this is what has made us great, the social Europe, the Europe of ideals, the Europe of beauty”.

Greece has made a point of saying the Athens summit is not meant to drive a wedge within the bloc. Tsipras said on Friday that the so-called Euro-Mediterranean summit would next convene again in Portugal.

What Spain needs to show, even if a proper draft budget is not constitutionally possible as the country still has a caretaking government, is “programme and proof of effective action”.

More than a million refugees and migrants traveled across Greece since the start of a year ago and authorities are struggling to cope with 60,000 people stranded here by European border closures.

More than 850,000 people – majority fleeing conflict in war-ravaged Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan – arrived on the Greek islands past year alone after often risking their lives on unseaworthy boats and dinghies. The European Commission is cited as stating that the tranche will not be disbursed as Greece has implemented only 2 of the 15 political reforms required for the release of the funds.

Athens, facing a second bailout review entailing an unpopular loosening of labor laws in the autumn, is keen to show that painful tax rises and pension cuts as part of its 86 billion-euro bailout deal past year will bear fruit.