Petsas on the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum

Regarding recent developments on migration, government spokesperson Stelios Petsas said during a press briefing on Thursday that "the European Commission presented a new Pact on Migration and Asylum on Wednesday. This is focuses on five main areas:

- Enhancing border protection.

- Accelerating asylum procedures.

- Immediate recording and identification (pre-entry screening).

- A mechanism for fair burden-sharing among the member-states, based on responsibility and solidarity.

- Increased and faster returns."

He explained that "the texts presented yesterday by the European Commission will be the subject of negotiations, during which we will actively and decisively support our fundamental positions. For this purpose, an inter-ministerial working group has already been set up with the participation of the migration and asylum ministry, foreign ministry, citizen protection ministry, as well as shipping and island policy ministry, which will work closely with the Permanent Representation of the European Union to Greece.