(ANSA) - Brussels, September 23 - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday that the EU had to take courageous action to address the refugee crisis after member States needed a majority vote at a meeting of interior ministers Tuesday to decide on a plan to redistribute asylum seekers. "The decision to relocate 160,000 people from the most affected Member States is a historic first and a genuine, laudable expression of European solidarity," Juncker said in a statement ahead of a summit of EU leaders later on Wednesday.
"It cannot be the end of the story, however. It is time for further, bold, determined and concerted action by the European Union, by its institutions and by all its Member States".
Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras said Italian Premier Matteo Renzi "is a good friend, we've had a few disagreements but I think we must fight together to change the balance in Europe - we must collaborate".