“We have had a long and difficult debate on migration and asylum issues. Unfortunately we were unable to reach any conclusions because of the attitude of Poland and Hungary. Statements will be made by the President of the European Council,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on the migration issue at a press conference on Friday after the Brussels Summit.
He added: “On external dimension issues there is universal agreement. There was an agreement at ministerial level on the new pact on migration and asylum. Poland and Hungary disagreed. But in substance there will be no change. I attach great importance to the need to break up the networks of traffickers. It is something I believe in very much. The success of Greek border security is that far fewer boats are leaving Turkey. Many fewer people have died in the Aegean than in the period 2015-2019 because fewer boats left. There is a general recognition that we need to do more on the external border issue and this is the direction of the letter from the President of the Commission which I endorse.”.
On Greek-Turkish relations and in view of his meeting with Tayyip Erdogan, Mitsotakis said: “This is our first meeting since both of us were re-elected. It is an opportunity to redefine the framework and to chart a path of rapprochement without Greece backing down from the red lines. There was a paragraph on EU-Turkey relations which Greece supported. There was also a paragraph on the Cyprus issue. I want to see the glass half full and there is better cooperation with the Turkish authorities to prevent boats from leaving. The EU has spent enough money to support Turkey on migration and may spend more. We can prove in practice that Turkey is an ally as long as it wants to be one.
Asked about the European debate on Euro-Turkey and whether Frontex is considering suspending its activities, he said: “We have consistently had good cooperation with frontex. The issue you mention has not come to my attention at all. We have a common mission to protect the borders and save people at sea. It is not an NGO.”
Asked about the fact that the mayor of Himarra, Freddy Beleris, remains imprisoned and whether he raised this with the European Council, he said: “There is a reference to the conclusions on the 30th anniversary of the Thessaloniki Declaration. Since then a lot of water has flowed down the drain. But I had the opportunity to inform about what is happening and to express my indignation that an elected mayor is still in prison. It is a blow to Albania's attempt to harmonise with the European acquis. The resolution of this issue will be an element of the Greek assessment of Albania's progress. I would like to believe that this message has been fully understood in Albania. It is not an issue that I will let pass without a reaction from Greece.”.
Asked about Alexis Tsipras“ resignation and whether he believes that SYRIZA will find its feet and whether the way is open for cooperation with PASOK, he replied, ”You are asking the wrong person. I have nothing more to add about the resignation. It will be put to the judgment of history. I will talk about the enlargement we achieved in the Southwest and joining forces. The rest concerning the opposition we will see in due course. Our first concern is to implement the government's work.".
On the Bank of Greece's report on the economy and the investment grade, the Prime Minister said: “I believe that the investment grade is a matter of time. The only obstacle was the political uncertainty, since we have a stable government, I believe that Greece will soon have an investment grade. The Bank of Greece's forecasts are encouraging. I won't be surprised if growth rates end up being better. High and sustainable growth rates are necessary to achieve wage growth, to bring in investment. It promotes social cohesion and reduces inequalities.”.
Regarding the eurostat data on inflation, Mitsotakis said: “Inflation is still persistent especially in food. I had predicted that we had seen the worst, this prediction is confirmed but inflation is here. The household basket will continue for another six months. We will not be content there. You will wait for the policy statements and the contents of the first bill. The answer is not benefits but income support with permanent wage increases and tax cuts. We will also legislate the costing of programs. I don't think we will go to another election without costing programs.”.
Brussels - Mission Nikos Armenis / AP
