EU nations urge stronger borders to ease migration pressures

By DAVID KEYTON and MONIKA SCISLOWSKA

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Ministers from European Union nations under pressure from unauthorized migration are asking for more action to strengthen and protect the bloc’s external borders as well as for regulations to return migrants to their homelands. Ministers from most European countries including the EU’s current presidency France joined a European border security conference in Lithuania’s capital on Friday. They say reinforcing borders and cracking down on people smugglers would protect EU citizens and the lives of those from the Middle East, Asia and Africa who undertake hazardous journeys to reach Europe. Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said doing that requires stopping people fleeing poverty and conflicts at home from starting out on migration routes.