Migration Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos has made it clear in an interview with ANA-MPA that Greece will not accept mass returns of migrants from Western European countries. “We have neither been propositioned for nor have agreed to mass returns of migrants from these regions,” he stated.
Panagiotopoulos emphasized the importance of enforcing stricter asylum regulations and enhancing security along European borders. He called for increased efforts in returning asylum seekers whose applications have been conclusively denied. Additionally, he expressed concerns over the emergence of a new migration route from the North African coast to Crete.
During the interview, Panagiotopoulos detailed a proposal for a detention facility where migrants entering Greece would be held prior to their transfer to Identification Centres. He clarified that the facility, operated by the Greek Police, would focus on internal security and the organized transportation of migrants rather than processing asylum applications, and it is not under the Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s administration.