Τhe Minister of Migration and Asylum, Mr. Notis Mitarachi, made the following statement:
“Turkish-driven propaganda about illegal migration means that false stories frequently appear in the media. Greece protects the external borders of the European Union, in full compliance with international law and in full respect of the charter of fundamental rights. Obviously national independent authorities investigate all claims to the contrary, but when these authorities request further information and evidence from the authors of such reports they refuse to provide it.
In the absence of action by the Turkish authorities, the Hellenic Coastguard continues to save the lives of thousands of men, women and children at sea every year. Between 2015 and 2021 the Hellenic Coastguard came to the rescue of more than 230,000 third country nationals who were in danger at sea.
In the last seven years alone, Greece has provided safe harbour for over one million people - to give that context, that is over ten per cent of our entire population.
Greece is not against legal migration; we are against the traffickers and all those who exploit human suffering either for profit or for political purposes.”
