Mitarakis: We turned the immigrant’s pain into a badge of national responsibility

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Mr. Mitarakis reiterated that “our country implements a strict but fair immigration policy with an emphasis on immigration with rules, criteria, in line with our own needs. But we are firmly against the rings of smugglers and illegal immigration”

An assessment of the three years of operation of the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, as well as a presentation of the actions that will be included in the Immigration and Internal Affairs Funds of the new programming period 2021-2027, was carried out by the Minister of Immigration and Asylum in Zappeio, Notis Mitarakis, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“The immigration issue does not end and is both a challenge and a need,” underlined the Minister of Immigration, Notis Mitarakis. “Greece remains alert for the future. Its geographical location combined with external threats leaves us no room for complacency,” he said, adding that “we are prepared for any challenge that may arise.”

Mr. Mitarakis reiterated that “our country implements a strict but fair immigration policy with an emphasis on immigration with rules, criteria, in line with our own needs. But we are firmly against the rings of smugglers and illegal immigration.”

The Minister of Immigration thanked the Prime Minister for the trust in the political leadership of the Ministry and its partners and recalled the Prime Minister’s decision to establish the Ministry in January 2020 emphasizing the need for efficiency, correcting possible structural failures.

The Minister of Immigration made reference to the main issues he was asked to deal with in this three-year period, such as “the effects of the particularly increased flows of the period 2015-2019” and “the hybrid threat to the Evros and our islands”, as well as the arson in Moria, “where a humanitarian crisis was avoided”. At the same time, “the ministry had to immediately acquire structure and organization, with very rapid organizational movements, technological upgrading and strengthening of human resources and structures”.

The minister made special mention of the change to the Immigration Code that is expected soon “to be able to attract a workforce, especially for the primary sector, but also specialized highly skilled personnel, such as in the telecommunications and IT sector, but also an investment public, which recognizes the growth prospects of the Greek economy”, as well as in the institutionalization of the seasonal visa for up to nine months a year and up to five years in total. In addition, he referred to the conclusion of bilateral agreements with third countries “in order to target a specific audience in these countries on the one hand, and on the other hand to strengthen the returns of the citizens of these countries who have come to Greece illegally”.

Actions to be financed

The Migration and Home Affairs Funds will finance actions amounting to €535 million for asylum, migration and integration, €1.4 billion for protection and integrated border management and €57 million for the fight against terrorism, the organized crime and cybercrime, with an additional focus on investigating and combating cybercrime and supporting victims of human trafficking.

RES-EMP

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