N. Mitarakis on immigration: The concept of solidarity is now recognized by all Member States as a prerequisite

The Minister of Immigration and Asylum Notis Mitarakis participated yesterday in Venice in the 3rd Ministerial Meeting of the Ministers of Interior and Immigration of the Med5 group, which consists of Greece, Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Malta.

After the completion of the works, Mr. Mitarakis, in a statement to APE-MPE, referred to the main object of the meeting that took place in “Galinotati” and underlined:

“Europe, in recent years, has been trying to agree on a new framework for migration management, where there is a better balance between the host countries and the solidarity that other countries must show. In view of the forthcoming meeting of the Council of the European Union. , next Friday in Luxembourg, we, the Mediterranean countries, met and talked with the French Presidency and the forthcoming Czech Presidency, and our goal is to have a political commitment text from the Member States on the need for relocations from the first host countries. “It is still a difficult negotiation, but it is now positive that the concept of solidarity is recognized by all Member States as a prerequisite for managing immigration.”

Answering a question about the further importance of the coordination of the countries of southern Europe, due to the consequences of the war in Ukraine, the Minister of Immigration and Asylum added:

“Europe’s response to the Ukrainian crisis has been very positive and the Union has taken many steps forward on the issue of solidarity. With the Council decision of March 2022, we recognized all those displaced from Ukraine and abolished the internal borders. It was a very important a step towards solidarity between Member States and this should be the basis for the new European Immigration and Asylum Pact, a fact that for the past two years, on the initiative of Greece (happened in 2021, when we first met in Athens) We have had the strengthening of our five states, with a common voice of the first host countries, has played an important role in the negotiations. for the benefit of the first host States, at its meeting on 10 June in Luxembourg. ”

Source: AMPE