Today is an important day for Europe because of the implementation of the EU Migration Pact, Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, Athanasios Plevris said at his doorstep statement at the Informal Ministerial Meeting on the European Pact on Migration and Asylum taking place in Nicosia, in the framework of Cyprus EU Presidency.
Referring to the implementation of the Pact starting today, he noted that a common European migration policy is essentially introduced for the first time. The Greek Minister added that in combination with the regulation on returns that is being finalized during the Cyprus Presidency, as well as the regulation on safe countries, it sends a clear message regarding the treatment of irregular migration that Europe ”is not friendly to anyone who comes illegally”.
Plevris said that the new European approach foresees that those who enter the EU illegally and whose asylum applications are rejected will be returned to their countries of origin through expedited procedures.
He added that Greece and Cyprus face intense migration pressures due to their geographical location. The Minister went on to say that the implementation of a common European policy creates the expectation that the returns of irregular migrants and the protection of the external borders of the EU will be key priorities in the context of managing migration.