The Pope Francis has strongly condemned the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers on the European borders.
Speaking on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis called the neglect of migrants the “shipwreck of civilisation”.
He also condemned the “narrow self-interest and nationalism” over the way European countries treats migrants.
“In Europe there are those who persist in treating the problem as a matter that does not concern them – this is tragic,” Pope Francis said.
“History teaches us that narrow self-interest and nationalism lead to disastrous consequences.”
“It is easy to influence public opinion by instilling fear of the other,” Pope Francis said.
“The remote causes should be attacked, not the poor people who pay the consequences and are even used for political propaganda.”
Last month, 27 people died when their inflatable dinghy sank in the Channel between France and the UK.
The number of people attempting the crossing has been growing, with more than 26,000 people arriving in the UK so far this year, more than double last year’s total.
More than 2,000 asylum seekers and refugees remained on Poland-Belarus borders for several weeks. This came after Polish authorities refused to let them in.
Their numbers have unprecedentedly risen over the past few weeks amid tension between Belarus and Poland.
