PM Mitsotakis said Greece would enter into preliminary talks with Turkey only if it continued to take steps to “de-escalate the crisis” before and after the EU Summit, stressing that “once we have tangible samples, we are ready to start exploratory contacts on the debate on the delimitation of maritime zones”.

The Prime Minister and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel met at the Maximos Mansion in Athens on Tuesday with the issues of the Greek-Turkish crisis and the refugees dominating the agenda.

Mitsotakis started his statements to the press after the end of the meeting referring to the refugee-immigrants issue making special mention of the tragedy in Moria, adding that any persons entering the reception centres are tested for coronavirus with more than 2,000 tests being performed, “a measure that proves the effective protection of the border. Especially in recent months, migration flows have been reduced to a minimum and the guarding will continue in Evros and at sea,” said the Prime Minister.

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“We have to look at the reality head on”, stressed Mr. Mitsotakis and continued: “Europe carries an unbearable weight. It is time for European support to move from words to deeds in tangible solidarity. The management of such a challenge cannot be left to host countries alone. We need to draw up a new policy of introduction and identification and asylum.”

For his part, the President of the European Council stated that “immigration is a challenge for the European Union, not just for the countries at the forefront” and added that “we must have a fair and strong response in order to fight illegal immigration and organise solidarity “