site.btaGreek Prime Minister Meets European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Immigration

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Immigration Magnus Brunner, at the Maximos Mansion, ERT reported on Monday. The two sides discussed the new Pact on Immigration and Asylum and particularly the issue of returns, but also agreements with third countries on returns.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted that the authorities of eastern Libya must take action to reduce the flows to Greece to avoid forming a new migration route.

On July 8 Brunner will visit Libya, together with the Immigration Ministers of Greece, Italy and Malta.

On June 30, the Commissioner was in Bulgaria for talks with the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior on the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, migration management, Bulgaria's Schengen Area accession, and border control.

In Greece, he has already met with Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis and will meet later with Athanasios Plevris, the Greek Minister of Immigration.

At the Tuesday meeting, Mitsotakis stated that the recent summits of NATO and the European Council were very constructive when it comes to the issue of immigration. He said that the emphasis on returns has been reinvigorated, which is an important issue, in terms the relations with Turkey and a better management of external challenges, especially in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. He also stated the importance of the Libya visit, after concerns in recent months about the route between eastern Libya and southern Crete. Commissioner Brunner highlighted that illegal migration needs to be fought and a new legal migration route to be found. He appreciates Greece’s efforts to protect its borders and the European borders as well. He also stated that it is important to show Europe’s unity during the Libya visit.