Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is set to visit the islands of Leros and Chios on Wednesday to check up on the operation of migrant reception centers in the region. His visit comes at a time of heightened European concern on the migration problem.
On Monday, German Chancellor Angela merkel addressed the congress of her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) with a pledge to “palpably reduce” the numbers of migrants flowing into Germany while stressing the need to guard the EU’s borders. At the same time, visiting European union officials to Greece pledged to spend 80 mln euros on a housing scheme for migrants and asylum seekers stranded in the country.
These agreement for a rent subsidy program for 20,000 people was made at a time when the situation on Greek islands is a source of concern amid growing worry that migrants who end up in Athens and other major cities would be unable to leave the country.
In an effort to help control the migration flow, Tsipras will meet with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on the sidelines of the upcoming European summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. The meeting is expected to take place on Thursday morning, December 17, in the hope that Turkey will make good on its pledge to the EU to crack down on smugglers’ packing boats with migrants along the Turkish coast.
Joint Greek-Turkish patrols were rejected by Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias as well as the chance of a new coast guard following revelations by protothema.gr in a publication of letters between Alt. Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas and Alt. Citizens Protection Minister Nikos Toskas to EUMigration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos.
Meanwhile, there is news that a high-level trilateral meeting on migration is speculated between Greece, Germany and Turkey.
Mouzalas meets with mayors
The Mayors of Hellenikon – Argiroupoli, Glyfada and Alimos met on Tuesday morning to find a solution for the state of regional administration concerning the refugees at the old airport of hellenikon. The mayors will meet again at 5 p.m. to discuss proposals. “We had a meeting in order to find a mutually acceptable solution,” he said, adding that mutual concessions need to be made.
