According to a European Commission statement, Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner will visit Greece tomorrow, Tuesday, to discuss the issue of irregular migration and border management.

The European Commissioner will have a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, and Immigration and Asylum Minister Athanasios Plevris, where they will discuss the latest developments in the implementation of the Pact, more effective return, as well as border management. The Commissioner will also discuss the current challenges in the Middle East and Libya.

The European Commission is concerned about the increase in irregular migration from Libya, as documented in the recent letter from the President of the European Commission to EU Member State leaders, discussed at last week’s Summit. The Commission considers that this is a problem that needs to be solved with the government and authorities of the country in order to combat, as the Commission’s spokesperson in charge of press, Marcus Lamert, said at today’s press conference, “the networks of traffickers who exploit the desperation of people.”

Lambert did not give further details about the Migration Commissioner’s visit with the relevant ministers of Greece, Italy, and Malta, as announced, to Libya, and was content to say that they were working on the planning of the visit.

“We are concerned about the recent increase in irregular departures from Libya. We are closely monitoring the situation and working with the member states most affected. We must continue to make every effort to help Libya establish an integrated and rights-based system of migration, governance, and management, strengthening the capacity of relevant Libyan institutions to save lives and combat the networks of traffickers who exploit people’s desperation,” he said.