Brussels, 25/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - Greek Minister for the Protection of Citizens Michalis Chrissohoidis told the European Parliament (EP) civil liberties committee (LIBE) that his country was committed to tackling illegal immigration and to improving the asylum system. With Greece about to go to the polls in a general election on 6 May, the minister, from the PASOK party, took issue with the comments made by Nicolas Sarkozy - who, following the first round of voting in the French presidential election, criticised the “easy entry Europe” and pointed the finger of blame at the Greek-Turkish border - and spread some of the responsibility for these difficulties on Greece's 26 partner member states, underlining their inability to persuade Turkey to sign an agreement with the EU on the readmission of migrants. The minister was also heavily critical of the suggestion that his country be suspended from the Schengen area through the re-introduction of border controls at some national borders, describing these isolated initiatives, referring to the comments by Sarkozy, as “unacceptable”.
Just as he had done at the start of April when he met European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, Chrissohoidis used the hearing to launch a fresh appeal to migrants who might be tempted to enter Greece through Turkey, pointing out that anyone caught crossing the border between the two countries may be held in a closed centre and immediately expelled if his/her request for protection is not upheld. “Nothing more than these statements had an effect on the number of people wanting to return, of their own volition, to their country”, affirmed Chrissohoidis.
Greece is subject to a European action plan which seeks to bring the country into line with standards on asylum and has begun building the infrastructure and reception centres for asylum seekers. In January 2011, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg handed down a judgment against Greece because of the degrading conditions in which it was holding illegal migrants and asylum seekers. Ninety percent of illegal immigrants to the EU enter through Greece, in particular the Evros region, on the Greek-Turkish border. Turkey is refusing to sign an agreement with the EU on the readmission of its nationals until the EU are prepared to open visa facilitation negotiations. This issue is due to be discussed by home affairs ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday 26 April. (SP/transl.rt)