Greek Migration & Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi expressed satisfaction on Friday with the Council of the European Union’s statement on creating a transitional solidarity mechanism.
Ministers at the Home Affairs Council meeting of the European Council in Luxembourg discussed the adoption of a general approach on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code. The purpose is to provide member states with the necessary tools to respond to new challenges when managing the Schengen external border, as well as the internal borders within the Schengen area.
In a statement following the meeting, Mitarachi said, “Today we progressed significantly in terms of Greece’s targets to deal with the migration crisis. We approved the proposal for a new Schengen Borders Code, which recognizes the need for effective guarding of the EU borders, placing the emphasis on deterrence and touching on the issue of instrumentalisation of migrants. Progress in the regulations on ‘screening’ and ‘Eurodac’ further boosts the security of our external borders. The Council’s stastement on the creation of a transitional solidarity mechanism provides direct support to the front-line countries, with relocations, and puts forth the introduction of a permanent mechanism. It is the first time Europe recognizes the need to create a permanent solidarity mechanism.”
During the review of the role of Frontex, the EU’s border-guarding agency, the Greek minister noted that he called for the further enhancement of the organization in order to protect common borders effectively, “and I underlined the challenges we face from Turkey’s unproductive and provocative rhetoric, and the possibility of new hybrid threats.”
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
