“In the name of the European Commission, I want to express the gratitude and congratulations to the government and the Portuguese people for opening their hearts and doors and receiving these desperate people that sought refuge in Europe”, Avramopoulos told journalists after welcoming a group of 31 refugees alongside Internal Affairs Minister, Constança Urbano de Sousa.

After participating in the launch of a report from the European Drugs Observatory in the morning, Avramopoulos also met with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa alongside welcoming the 31 strong party of mostly Syrians who had first arrived in Greece.

Whilst recognising the “difficulties” experienced in taking in refugees, the commissioner termed the results of the process of integrating refugees as “very poor.”

“If I may send a message to the other European Union member states from Lisbon, I call on them to think, feel and act in the European way in accordance with its principles of solidarity and responsibility,” said Avramopoulos.

The commissioner did say that the agreement with Turkey was now achieving “its first positive signs” with flows of migrants sharply down in the region before calling on its “application in its totality.”