Meeting between the Minister of Migration and Asylum, mr. Notis Mitarachi, and the Chairman of the European People’s Party, Mr. Manfred Weber.
Minister of Migration and Asylum, Μr. Notis Mitarachi, welcomed today, Monday, February 6th, at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the Chairman of the European People’s Party, Mr. Manfred Weber.
Mr. Mitarachi and Mr. Weber had a business meeting where they had a very warm discussion and exchanged views on the management of the migration issue by the European Union. The key issue on the agenda was the finding of solutions to significantly decrease the illegal migratory flows to the EU and the need for effective solidarity to the first reception countries.
The Minister of Migration and Asylum took the Chairman of the EEP on a tour to the Department for Emergency Response operating at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. The Center is connected to the Accommodation Centers and via visualisation it aims to prevent emergencies in the context of enhancing control and security for residents, employees and local communities.
Following, Mr. Mitarachi and Mr. Weber made joint statements to the Media.
The Minister of Migration and Asylum highlighted our country’s constant and expressed request for immediate and comprehensive solutions to the management of migration by the European Union. At the same time, he thanked the European People's Party for its recent publication of positions which largely reflect the positions of Greece, while noting that substantial changes need to be made. It is very critical that the EPP leadership in tackling the european migration crisis. It is imperative that we protect the external borders of the European Union as Greece has done succesfully in the past few years. And we agree that fences are needed that they are part of the strategy to protect the external borders. Against the arguments of the European Socialist and the European Left, we have the solutions that are needed to tackle the crisisMr. Mitarachi said.
"“There also needs to be compulsory forced solidarity with relocations within the European Union. There must be a common European protection area”he emphasised.
On his side, the Chairman of the European People’s party referring to border protection and therefore technical measures, as well as the choice of the fence as a technical means to protect the European borders and by extension its funding by the European institutions noted:The EPP Group, the EPP party on a European level, is fully committed for this approach. I think these, who are far away from border can do an easy job to say “this is not necessary” but those who are linked to border, those who are close to the border know that this is reality of the ground. That’s why, we should be clear on this.
Europe does not need to be closed, but it has to be closed to smugglers. We should be able to provide humanitarian visas and legal pathways for people to come and live and work in the European Union, but with rules.».
By finishing the joint statements, Mr. Mitarachi and Mr. Weber went to the Temporary Accomodation Center, in Schisto, where they were guided to the Facilities by the General Secretary of Reception of Asylum Seekers, Mr. Manos Logothetis.
Mr. Mitarachi’s full statement:
“I was delighted to welcome the Chairman of the EPP Party, Manfred Weber to Athens and the Ministry of Migration.
It is very critical that the EPP leadership in tackling the European migration crisis. It is imperative that we protect the external borders of the European Union as Greece has done successfully in the past few years. And we agree that fences are needed that they are part of the strategy to protect the external borders. Against the arguments of the European Socialist and the European Left, we have the solutions that are needed to tackle the crisis.
Greece has also been subject over the years of many fake news with regard to the borders and I think the truth has now been revealed. It is an environment where Turkey is not implementing the Joint -Statement and it’s very important as the President of the European Commission wrote to her letter that this Joint Statement is fully implemented by all parts.
Europe does not need to be closed, but it has to be closed to smugglers. We should be able to provide humanitarian visas and legal pathways for people to come and live and work in the European Union, but with rules. Returns are also very important. The returns of those who are not eligible for international protection. The required, effective legislation and enduring partnerships with countries of origin and countries of transit. Also, what we need to achieve in Europe is a system of mandatory and effective solidarity. Over the years, the countries of first reception have undertaken enormous pressure and Europe needs to find a sustainable method, a sustainable way for countries of first reception to share the burden with the rest of Europe. We need to provide for a Common European Protection Space for people in need as we have done so in the case of people displaced from Ukraine.
Finally, I should note that Greece will be hosting the Second Conference on Border Management on the 23rd and 24th of February. I remind you that last year in Vilnious sixteen Member-States, the majority of the European Union signed the Vilnious Declaration for the Protection of the Borders, including the need for mandatory fences.”
Mr. Weber’s full statement::
“It’s great to be here in Athens. First of all, I want to send our thoughts to our Turkish friends having the erthquake in Turkish-Syrian borders in mind. A lot of victims are there, Europe shows a lot of solidarity now to help out our Turkish friends to overcome this difficult moment.
This week is an important week for Europe in migration policy. We have the european council in front of us, which is dealing with migration issues. I, first of all, want to thank our Greek friends, the Greek Authorities, the Greek Government, because what Greece was doing in the last years was implementing European Schengen Law. That is the purpose of what we are doing on the external borders and is great to see a government under the lead of Kyriakos Mitsotakis and also under responsible ministers that they are ready to implement the Law, the existing legislation into daily practices.
I also want to mention the borderguarders. Men on the border are doing a difficult job and I thank them for their engagement to protect our borders.
We have now a few questions in front of us. The first most important question is, how can we quarantee that the border protection is really working and therefore technical measures, also a fence could be an option, must be or is it possible as an option and should be financed by the European Institutions. The EPP Group, the EPP party on a European level, is fully committed for this approach.
I think these, who are far away from border can do an easy job to say “this is not necessary” but those who are linked to border, those who are close to the border know that this is reality of the ground. That’s why, we should be clear on this.
The second important thing is that we need to strengthen our readmission activities. We have hundreds of thousands of illegal people in the European territory. Last year, we had 340.000 people been obliged after legal assessment and legal procedure to leave the EU, but only 40.000 left finally the European territory. So there, I see a big problem from not implementing the current rules and the current legislation.
And then, I would like to talk about the NGOs’ activities in the Mediterranean Sea. All activities to rescue life are important and welcomed. There is no doubt about this. We are as Europeans, even more questioned to increase our activities in the Mediterranean Sea that nobody must lose his life. But on the other hand, we need a common understanding, how to do it, we need a common code of contact in the Mediterranean Sea between the state activities and the NGOs’ activities that this goes hand in hand, rescueing life is in the center.
These are the three very concrete expectations, from the EPP point of view, towards the European Council meetings. And I’m sure that the EPP family on this level is united in these concrete requests.Finally, I want to mention that Europe always showed an open-heart approach, when it is about people who really need our help. We showed it years ago, when there was in Yugoslavia a big war on European soil. We had the war in Syria, when Europe welcomed a lot of people from Syria. And now, in this moment of time around 8 million Ukrainian people came to the EU, came to European countries and we showed an openheart approach to all of them. It is a clear indication that European citizens want to help and there is in the European DNA.
Thank you for hosting me. Thank you for welcoming me in Athens.”».
Video of the declaraton of the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Mr. Notis Mitarachi:
Video of the declaraton of the Chairman of the European People's Party, Mr. Manfred Weber:
