Austria's Kurz supports Tusk's refugee policy criticism

VIENNA, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Austrian foreign minister and soon-to-be chancellor Sebastian Kurz has thrown his weight behind European Council President Donald Tusk, who has recently slammed Europe's approach to the refugee crisis.

In an interview with the Austria Press Agency published on Friday, Kurz said Tusk was right when he said compulsory refugee quotas among European Union member states had not worked properly.

"I would argue that this wrong refugee policy be changed," said the leader of the center-right People's Party.

He added that a "system change" is needed, and that without protection of the European Union's outer borders, the problem with illegal immigration "will not be brought under control".

It is in his view therefore positive that Tusk and several European states have supported a proper border protection stance, as well as more funding from the European Union.

Tusk had earlier in the week called the compulsory quotas "ineffective" and "highly divisive", attracting criticism from many officials in Brussels.

Outgoing Austrian chancellor Christian Kern has also come out against this stance, reacting to the supportive comments from his successor Kurz.

The fair distribution of refugees would provide relief for Austria, he argued, and a move against this would be a "big mistake". Enditem