BRUSSELS (ANA/ M. Aroni) — “We have a duty to continue our fight against human trafficking and to ensure legal avenues for migration,” stated Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis on Wednesday, at a ceremony for the handover of the presidency of the International centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to Greece from Turkey.
Kairidis stated that Greece is on Wednesday assuming the ICMPD presidency at a very crucial time, when the international environment is constantly being assailed by new crises. He noted that the efforts to eradicate illegal trafficking must continue, in cooperation with both European countries and the countries of origin and transit of migrants, whilst also ensuring that there are legal avenues for migration, which are based on the needs of the Greek and the European economies. “Τhis is what Greek migration policy advocates and this is the role and ‘slogan’ of the Greek Presidency. We believe in a policy of European solutions based on European values and common European interests.
An event for the occasion is taking place on Wednesday at the Residence Palace in Brussels on the theme “A holistic approach for balanced migration relations”, with speakers that include the vice president of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas, EU Commissioner for European Affairs Ylva Johansson and Kairidis.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
