Today, Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Greek Minister of Migration Thanos Plevris is traveling to Berlin for a difficult and crucial meeting with his German counterpart Alexander Dobbrindt. Migration, still one of the most contentious issues in the European Union, is expected to take center stage in a diplomatic clash between two countries that, in theory, share similar policy approaches.
Despite their common stance against irregular migration, their disagreement centers on secondary migration—the practice of thousands of refugees recognized in Greece traveling to Germany seeking better prospects. EU figures estimate that 26,000 to 60,000 refugees fall into this category, whom Dobbrindt wants returned to Greece, but Plevris categorically refuses.
Plevris has repeatedly stated: “Greece will under no circumstances accept migrants from Germany.” At the same time, he emphasizes that return policies must respect the country’s capacity and be accompanied by European solidarity.
Hardline Policy and Domestic Image
Since taking office in July 2025, Plevris has implemented a hardline deterrence policy:
- Anyone not entitled to asylum will be returned to their country of origin or imprisoned.
- Greece demands a flexible responsibility mechanism for arrivals at its borders so that part of the burden can be shared with other EU states when the country’s capacity is exceeded.
Plevris’s stance also reflects a strategic communication effort to the Greek public: the government wants to show it is acting firmly against illegal migration and that Greece is not a “second-choice destination” for those not entitled to asylum.
Data and Statistics Highlighting Pressure
According to the latest European Commission data:
- From January to September 2025, around 100,000 refugees arrived in Europe via Mediterranean countries.
- This figure represents 42% of total asylum applications across the 27 EU member states.
- Greece received the highest number of asylum applications relative to population, followed by Cyprus.
- Only 1 in 5 rejected asylum seekers actually returns to their country of origin.
These figures underline that pressure on the EU’s southern borders remains high, despite a general decline in asylum applications compared to the 2015 crisis.
The Battle Over Dublin’s Future
The real challenge for Greece and Germany is implementing the new EU asylum and migration pact, which comes into effect July 1, 2026:
- Northern EU countries insist on strict application of the Dublin Regulation, placing full responsibility on countries of first entry.
- Greece and other Mediterranean states call for a mandatory solidarity mechanism, to distribute refugees more fairly across the EU and relieve pressure on border countries.
Athens insists on “flexible responsibility”: if arrivals exceed national capacity, other EU states must accept resettlement. If not, Greece will not strictly enforce Dublin, the government emphasizes.
Diplomatic and Political Stakes
The Plevris-Dobbrindt meeting concerns not only bilateral relations between Greece and Germany but also the political image of both ministers at home. Both aim to send a clear message: they will not compromise on “illegal” migration, reinforcing their standing with domestic supporters.
At the same time, the dispute highlights a fundamental EU divide: northern states push for returns and strict Dublin enforcement, while Mediterranean countries favor a fair and mandatory distribution of refugees so that the burden does not fall solely on the borders.
The Plevris-Dobbrindt meeting is expected to be intense and hard-fought, as both ministers must navigate diplomatic negotiation, European law, and domestic political strategy. The outcome will determine not only the fate of thousands of secondary refugees but also the future of European asylum policy for years to come.
Source: pagenews.gr