22/03/2021 (Agence Europe) – On Saturday 20 March in Athens, the interior ministers of Cyprus, Spain, Greece, Italy and Malta called on other EU member states to show more solidarity in dealing with the migration challenge. Their request is threefold: -better cooperation with third countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia; -greater willingness by other EU member nations to accept newly arrived migrants; -the creation of a centralised European repatriation mechanism overseen by the European Commission. “We need compulsory and meaningful solidarity for frontline states, but the options must be flexible for contributing countries”, said Tomas Tobé (EPP, Sweden), European Parliament rapporteur on the draft regulation organising migration solidarity between Member States, in an interview with EUROPE (see EUROPE 12682/2). (MB)