EUROPE: Cyprus and Greece coordinate action on big migration flows

Cyprus and Greece are to raise the issue of massive migration flows along the Eastern Mediterranean route and demand a new European migration policy that translates the principle of solidarity into practice.

Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides and Greek Alternate Minister of Citizen Protection, responsible for immigration, George Koumoutsakos are heading the joint strategy.

In view of the EU’s failure to come up with a holistic migration policy and given the fact that a new European Commission will assume power, the frontline countries must coordinate their actions, Petrides said.

“The increased and massive migration flows through the eastern Mediterranean route need to be further highlighted and we must see this translate into practical policy at European level”, said Petrides.

He noted that both he and his Greek counterpart were concerned about the situation in Syria and particularly in Idlib, as well as about security issues that could arise as a result of massive migration flows.

The Ministers are coordinated their stance ahead of the EU home affairs council on 8 October, which is expected to discuss migration.

Petrides said Turkey refuses to cooperate with Cyprus and this should be taken into account when shaping the EU’s migration policy, which foresees billions of funds to aid Turkey in dealing with migration flows.

The Greek Minister said that tackling and managing the migration issue is crucial.

"The aim is a better coordination of the two EU Member States, both of which are on the frontline, on the critical front of the Eastern Mediterranean with regard to migration”, said Koumoutsakos.

He said that over the last month arrivals of migrants through the Western Mediterranean and the Central Mediterranean stood at 1,150 and 1,300, respectively, while arrivals along the Eastern Mediterranean rose between 4,500 and 5,000.

Koumoutsakos said the time was right for a such a coordination, as the President of the new European Commission has among her top priorities a new European immigration policy.