Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ statement upon arrival at the EU General Affairs Council (Brussels 06.02.2023)

Upon his arrival today at the EU General Affairs Council, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, expressed his sorrow and condolences to the Turkish people following the devastating earthquake on Monday morning, underlining that this tragic event brings to the fore the need for the neighbours to extend a helping hand to each other.

Regarding the migration issue, which is on the agenda of the GAC’s discussions ahead of the European Council, Mr. Varvitsiotis underscored that Greece’s red lines concern border protection. “There can be no Europe without a European migration policy, and there can be no European migration policy that does not have at its core European solidarity, a coordinated system for guarding the European borders in all possible ways, and, of course, a system for returns to third countries,” he pointedly stated, adding that “many of the people who fall victim to traffickers unfortunately pay for this journey with their lives,” as  yesterday’s tragedy in Leros demonstrated.

Moreover, Mr. Varvitsiotis noted that, while the EU has demonstrated unity and solidarity on key issues and major crises in recent years, it has lagged behind on the issue of migration, which is why our country is putting forward positive proposals. In response to an Austrian journalist’s question on the subject, he emphasized that border fences are effective and should be funded by the European Commission because they prevent illegal crossings and put a stop to trafficking networks.

Lastly, Mr. Varvitsiotis stated that the GAC would discuss the situation in Ukraine and ways to support the Ukrainian people in their just struggle for national sovereignty, as well as the war-ravaged Ukrainian economy. He also noted that ways to enhance Europe’s competitiveness will be discussed, stressing that Europe should not stand idle in the face of state aid policies from both the US and the East, which are changing the global economic map.