Statement by Commissioner D. Avramopoulos after the ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Citizen Protection, Athens 19/9/2018

After the meeting I had with the Prime Minister, I participated at the Ministry of Citizen Protection at a ministerial meeting with all the ministers who are responsible for migration and security issues. We had a very good cooperation with a specific aim: how to improve and speed up all the processes needed to address more effectively these issues.

Recent images confirmed that the islands are facing a number of problems. I would say that coming out of this meeting, in my capacity, as European Commissioner responsible for these issues, I am satisfied, because I have found that all the procedures that have been adopted lead to the same goal; these images should no longer exist. On the other hand, these people, who are arriving at the European borders, should be respected and treated properly, and the current schemes in the islands and the mainland have to be quickly and efficiently applied.

Greece is geographically at a position where the refugee issue is present in its most pressing form. We certainly are not where we were three years ago, when this issue firstly appeared. Meanwhile, the necessary mechanisms have been set up, the hotspots respond to their mission, while all those who arrive are identified, fingerprinted and registered. Here, precisely, there is a role assigned to the country, to effectively manage our common European borders. In order to deal with these situations, Europe has been and will continue to be on the side of Greece.

Our priority at the moment, as I said earlier, is to create the best possible conditions on the islands, and I believe that, with the decisions taken and concerted action among all the ministries, especially the Ministry of Migration Policy, which it is managed by Mr Vitsas, with whom we have a good cooperation, Greece will become a model for other European countries.

Major problems have been overcome, but this phenomenon will continue to exist for the coming years. Europe needs to be better prepared because migration is a European issue, with global dimensions, and of course Greece will continue to be supported by us, the European Commission, but it also has to undertake this mission with responsibility and address the needs.

I want to thank Minister Vitsas for our cooperation today as well as the Ministers who participated in the meeting. We will meet again here to continue this great effort, which, I must say, takes place under difficult conditions due to the complexity of this phenomenon, but also highlights Greece’ role as a factor of stability in the region, of proper management of the European borders and, of course, of everyday expression of humanism and culture.