Deputy Minister of Migration Policy Yannis Mouzalas described the refugee crisis as a European and not a national problem likening the situation to the Second World War.

Speaking at plenary session Mr. Mouzalas called all parties to cooperate and discuss in order to find a national solution on the refugee issue and stop the “blame game”.

He stressed that “our government saw the proposals of Mr. Juncker which were accepted by European partners as a positive start”. This was achieved, as he said, because the previous SYRIZA government and the caretaker government had intervened.

Mr. Mouzalas reiterated that the problem Europe is dealing now is a refugee problem and not an immigration problem and according to Geneva Convention refugees should not be repelled but accepted in the European countries.

He pointed out that Europe recognized refugee crisis as a European problem, stressing that Europe has approved 160,000 relocation sites while providing at the same time technical assistance and human resources.

Mr. Mouzalas admitted that the refugee flow was greater than government had expected and “we were taken aback because the reception centers were not organized”, while announcing that the hotspots for the refugees will be ready in about two months at the most.