Marinakis: ‘We are sending a message that the sea passage to Greece is closing’

Greece will immediately begin implementing the emergency measures announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for the migration problem in relation to Libya, with the relevant legislative measure due to be passed by Parliament on Thursday, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said in the daily briefing for political correspondents.

“First, with a legislative measure tabled in Parliament yesterday that is expected to be passed today, Greece is proceeding to suspend the examination of asylum applications, initially for three months, for those that reach Greece from North Africa in boats,” Marinakis said.He noted that this was necessary temporary reaction and based on the same legal arguments that the Greek government had used in order to successfully handle the migration crisis in Evros in 2020.

“All migrants that illegally enter the country will be arrested and held,” he said, adding that a permanent, closed reception facility will be established on the island of Crete for such arrivals, whose asylum applications will not be considered.Thirdly, Marinakis added, Greece will continue discussions with Libya, both with the legal, internationally recognised government of westernLibya and with the government in eastern Libya.The spokesperson also announced that the Hellenic Navy, coast guard and the Greek armed forces were willing to work with the authorities of Libya to ensure that such small boats never depart from Libya’s shores or else are returned to where they started from, before entering international waters.

He stressed that the Greek government is sending a message to traffickers that the passage to Greece is closingbut also to their prospective clients, showing them that their money will be wasted because it will be much harder to reach Greece by sea. Other topics touched on in the briefing included the education ministry bill on protecting academic freedom and against all forms of violence in universities, a draft bill on upgrading the safety of Greek railways, out-of-court debt settlements and action to be taken for the disabled.

Source: pagenews.gr