Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi, addressing an event attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Zappion Mansion on Tuesday, stressed that the impact of the migration crisis on Greece had now been greatly limited following the ministry's work since its foundation three years earlier. In addition to conducting a review of the operation of the Migration and Asylum Ministry since it was founded, he also outlined the actions that will be included in the Migration and Internal Affairs Funds in the new 2021-2027 programming period.
"The migration issue does not end and is both a challenge and a necessity," Mitarachi underlined. "Greece remains vigilant regarding the future. Its geographical position, combined with external threats, leaves us no room for complacency," he said, adding that "we are prepared for any challenge that may arise."
Mitarachi reiterated that "our country implements a strict but fair migration policy with an emphasis on migration with rules, criteria, in line with our own needs. But we are firmly against the rings of smugglers and undocumented migration."
He noted that the leadership of the ministry has two goals, which are a substantial reduction of migration flows and to drastically reduce the impact of the crisis on local communities. Today, "when the migration crisis is being experienced at unprecedented levels in other European countries, its impact in Greece is now limited," the minister noted, stating that arrivals in Greece in 2022 constitute 5% of total EU arrivals.