The Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris<\/b>, participated today in the Rome <\/b>in a meeting <\/b>of the ministers responsible for migration<\/b> from Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Malta. <\/p>\n
The meeting took place following an invitation from the Italian Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi<\/b>.<\/p>\n
After the meeting concluded, Mr. Plevris<\/b>, in a statement to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), referenced the main topics that were discussed in depth and the future goals of this specific cooperation<\/b>.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis meeting took place in the context of the declaration by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, and the President of Malta, so that these countries are prepared<\/b> to take joint action in the event of an emergency.<\/p>\n
What we essentially discussed today at the technical-political level among the Ministers of Migration and the Interior was that we agree that the flows have decreased. At the same time, both we and Italy see that Libya is a key factor and gateway<\/b>.<\/p>\n
In Italy, from the western side, and in our country on the eastern side, but the arrival figures show<\/b> that we have seen an overall decrease in the flows,\u201d noted the Minister of Migration and Asylum, adding that at the meeting the ministers agreed on four key priorities.<\/p>\n
First and foremost, we will establish joint cooperation, similar to the partnership currently in place between Greece and Italy, within the framework of Europol, for the exchange of information<\/b> regarding the smuggling of migrants.<\/p>\n
We will also redefine the role of nongovernmental organizations in the field to ensure they do not act as a magnet for attracting illegal migrants. In this regard, there is also the Italian proposal that when an NGO flying a specific national flag conducts a rescue outside the territorial waters of Italy, Greece, Cyprus, or Malta, the asylum application should be examined<\/b> not by the countries near the coast, but by the ship flying that specific flag.<\/p>\n
At the same time, we discussed\u2014particularly in the context of Greece and Italy\u2014joint actions in Libya, so that we can achieve even greater cooperation to reduce or even eliminate the flows. We recognize that discussions with Bangladesh as well, because we see<\/b> that the increase in migration flows also involves citizens from Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
Finally, we have kept open the position set forth by our leaders\u2014that we will not allow what happened in 2015, with the collapse of Syria, to happen in Europe. Therefore, if it becomes apparent\u2014whether from the Gulf states\u2014with reference to the war in Iran\u2014or from Libya due to the collapse of Sudan\u2014that the flows are heading toward a situation that is uncontrollable, the goal is to be able to take action<\/b> both operationally and at sea to contain them,\u201d said Mr. Plevris, noting:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have therefore concluded that we have a common strategy, which has proven effective at the European level, by reducing the flows; however, because migration has such tremendous momentum, geopolitical conditions could change at any moment. At a time when we are facing the highest number of wars since World War II, we must be prepared even for the worst<\/b>-case scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) whether the implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum was also discussed today in Rome, Mr. Plevris replied<\/b>:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also discussed the implementation of the new Pact. All four countries face a major challenge: that within twelve weeks examine asylum applications from individuals<\/b> who do not meet the refugee criteria, so that return decisions can be issued and they can be returned.<\/p>\n
We all agreed that for the asylum system to work, we are ready to carry out this rapid review process, but it must be clear to the Commission<\/b> that once we have a negative decision, it must be enforced.<\/p>\n
Because if it is not enforced, then there will essentially be a management problem with the people we place in administrative detention. And we believe that efforts are being made in this direction, particularly with countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, and Pakistan, with which we are cooperating, to establish an even better framework<\/b> for returns than the one that exists today.<\/p>\n
We also discussed innovative solutions. Italy has an innovative solution in the form of its project with Albania, which essentially serves as a return hub. Similarly, we\u2014along with other countries\u2014Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark\u2014are in the process of negotiating with third countries to establish a center outside the European continent, and we hope this can be realized<\/b> in 2027.<\/p>\n
We all agreed that innovative solutions, the Return Regulation and the Safe Countries Regulation are, in essence, the other side of the Pact\u2019s coin, so that we can achieve the results we want, namely, a reduction in migration flows and an increase<\/b> in returns.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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