Panagiotopoulos: Increased flows in the South Aegean – Migration is a European issue

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Migrant flows have been somewhat higher in South Aegean, the Dodecanese islands and lately in Crete, Migration and Asylum Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said on Tuesday in an interview with OPEN TV.

“Last year, 77 illegal immigrants entered the country in 2023. This year, the number has increased to almost 2,700. Of course, Crete is a different matter because you start the journey from the North African coast, mainly from Libya, it is a much more dangerous journey than the minutes-long journey to get from the coast of Asia Minor to our islands, the Dodecanese, and it does not happen every day, but it is done with bigger vessels, bigger ships, certainly not safer, and it is a dangerous journey but as you can understand it has a larger capacity,” he emphasised.

Regarding Turkiye’s attitude, Panagiotopoulos pointed out: “Turkiye has signed an agreement with the European Union since 2016. Based on this agreement, returns to Turkiye are foreseen, but returns are not made. Since the end of 2019 and after March 2020 and the issues in Evros, it has completely stopped accepting returns and I think it is an issue that needs to be raised again.

The minister reiterated the constant Greek position “that the management of migration is not a matter for each country individually, it is a European matter.”

source ANA-MPA

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