The Greek government is preparing a new migration bill that provides for stricter sanctions for illegal migrants with rejected asylum applications. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced this on Wednesday during a cabinet meeting, ANA-MPA news agency reported, quoted by BTA.
„The sanctions will be more severe for those who enter or reside illegally in the country after their asylum application has been definitively rejected. With clear rules and decisions, we want to make the mechanism for returning migrants more effective and fair. This is not only a national but also a European priority“, stressed Mitsotakis.
He recalled that in recent years Greece has played a leading role in reshaping European migration policy. According to him, instead of focusing on secondary migration flows, Europe is now paying attention to the external dimension of the problem - the protection of external borders and an effective return policy.
“Currently, less than two out of ten illegal residents in Europe return to their countries of origin. This must change“, said the Prime Minister.
Mitsotakis reported that migration flows to Greece, especially along its eastern borders, have significantly decreased. According to him, this is due to the good cooperation with the Turkish authorities and the effectiveness of the border wall with Turkey, which is now being expanded.
The Prime Minister once again emphasized that Europe must take greater responsibility and provide funding for the construction and maintenance of such infrastructure, because it protects not only national but also pan-European security.
At the same time, he noted that the challenges related to the migratory pressure from Libya continue. In this regard, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is due to visit the country to discuss opportunities for improving cooperation, especially with the authorities in eastern Libya.