ND spokesman sternly attacks gov’t on the way it handles the refugees issue




Main opposition New Democracy (ND) spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos in his first briefing on Friday to the press referred to the issues of information, refugees and the operation on independent authorities.

On the refugees issue, he expressed his deep sorrow over the situation in the Aegean. “It is inconceivable for the Aegean to turn into a huge cemetery and the country into a huge camp of trapped refugees and migrants,” said Koumoutsakos and noted that despite the fact that Alternate Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas said that he will prevent the closing of the borders, he did not exclude the possibility.

Moreover, he said that ND leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis will undertake a series of actions aiming to support the country’s interests and safeguard Greece’s stay in the Schengen Treaty noting that the opposite would have extremely negative repercussions for the country as well as for the European project. He also said that on Wednesday Mitsotakis will visit Lesvos in order to get informed on the prevailing conditions adding that ND leader has invited the ambassadors of all 18 EU state-members to Greece to point out the dimensions of the problem and to present the Greek positions. Two days later at European People’s Party (EPP) meeting he will meet with European officials, including Jean-Paul Juncker and Pierre Moscovici. He also added that the matter is mostly humanitarian, but also a matter of safety.

“Greece is the border of Europe and for this reason has assumed an important responsibility at a period of crisis. It expects support and solidarity from its partners,” he concluded.

He sternly accused the government of obsession, embarrassment and inertia adding that it has accepted huge responsibilities based on the October 25 agreement. “Nothing has been specialised or proceeded. It should implement measures in a very short period without specific countermeasures,” said Koumoutsakos and accused Turkey of saying that it has not fulfilled its bilateral agreements with both Greece and Europe. “It has not faced the problem of the human traffickers in its territory and whatever happens in the sea it is not enough to confront the problem if it is not faced at the Turkish coasts,” he claimed.

“Nobody should point a finger at Greece. Greece must implement its commitments. A retreat to the acquis of the Schengen Treaty is the first huge step towards the corrosion of the EU’s foundations, it would be a very dangerous development,” underlined Koumoutsakos.

Referring to the operation of the independent authorities, ND spokesman accused the government that in the last year is consistently trying to wound them.

On the competitiveness committee, he said that the government’s stance “confirms the government’s will to dissolve the independent authorities.”

ANA-MPA Athens

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