"Especially during this unprecedented refugee crisis, there must be no place for xenophobia and discrimination. Europe must show solidarity with these vulnerable people", said  Secretary General Jagland in  a statement on Thursday.

"All Council of Europe member states have a shared responsibility to respect and protect people’s rights and human dignity”.

“Refusing refugees on the grounds of their religion would be a blatant discrimination,” he said in response to a statement by the Slovakian Interior Ministry declaring the country would not accept Muslim migrants.