Greek Minister Calls Opposition to Tougher Migration Policies a Sign of Success
ATHENS — Greece’s migration minister on Monday said criticism from human rights groups is a “badge of honor” and vowed to further toughen policies he called “the toughest if not the toughest in Europe.”
Thanos Plevris, speaking to private broadcaster Action 24, dismissed objections from UN envoys and rights organizations. “The days when bureaucrats from Brussels or the United Nations could just show up and dictate how Greece handles the migration crisis are over,” he said.
Plevris argued that rights groups and charities assisting migrants have no role in shaping Greek policy. “Every time UN envoys express concern over my legislation, it makes me proud of that legislation. The more Amnesty International, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees or UN envoys are irritated by our migration policy, the more I view it as a badge of honor.”
Greece, along with other EU member states, is in talks with African countries about establishing centers for migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected in Europe a proposal that has drawn sharp criticism from international rights groups.
The comments came as Greece pursues closer cooperation with authorities in eastern Libya to curb migrant departures across the Mediterranean. Deputy commander Saddam Haftar was in Athens Monday for meetings with the foreign minister and prime minister. Greece is offering coast guard training, employment programs, and investment initiatives to strengthen cooperation.
Despite a decline in migrant crossings from North Africa overall, Greece has recorded a surge in arrivals on the island of Crete from eastern Libya. Arrivals and interceptions off Crete rose more than 20 percent to 5,500 through May compared with the same period last year, with the pace increasing since early June, according to Greek authorities. Libya has become a major transit hub for migrants from Africa and the Middle East, with human trafficking networks flourishing during more than a decade of instability.
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