‘Don’t compare me to Trump, I don’t have thick blonde hair’

The fence at Evros The Prime Minister defends Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in an interview shown on a German website “Bild” newspaper.

Germany, for obvious reasons, does not agree with the idea of ​​a wall on the EU border, and the German newspaper asked Mr Mitsotakis directly, copying former US President Donald Trump, who wanted to build a fence for the US. border with Mexico.

“First of all, I don’t have thick blonde hair, so I don’t think the comparison is very appropriate,” commented the Prime Minister. Describing the government’s immigration policy as tough but fair, he recalled that “six months after coming to power, we faced an organized invasion of illegal immigrants in Greece, that is, in European territory.”

Mr. Mitsotakis added: “I wouldn’t call it a wall, A protective barrier, a fence. It’s part, not the only solution, to the immigration problem, but it’s certainly a component of significantly reducing illegal immigration.”

He added: “Thanks to the wall and our overall immigration policy, fewer irregular migrants are coming to Greece, that is, to Europe. If you look at the absolute numbers, I would say there is proof. In 2015, 75% of illegal migrants into Europe went through Greece. Now it’s less than 10%. is less.

The European Parliament in Bild’s note AAt the initiative of four political powers in the European Union, it recently rejected funding for the wall; The prime minister did not rush to blame Syriza this time, but argued that “there is a general confusion at the European level about what exactly can be financed with European funds.” For example, right now, we can fund the technical equipment to build the wall, not the wall,” he reiterated:

“Whatever Europe does or doesn’t do, I’ve said publicly that we will build our own fence, even if it’s funded by the Greek taxpayer.”

To the question whether it is fair to pay only for Greece’s fence, Mr. Mitsotakis responded: “Of course it’s not fair. This is what I stand for. We’re a leading state. We’re experiencing significant immigration pressures. We are looking for help from the European Union.

He added: “At the end of the day, we need more money for immigration and we need more money to support frontline states. So, on the one hand, it is very unfair to ask Greece to undertake the difficult task of protecting the external borders.

Indeed, commenting on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s opposition to the Ebro fence, the Prime Minister said, “It is natural for Germany to have secondary flows because asylum seekers seek more. Generous benefits”, but he appreciated it: “Chancellor Soltz also understands the pressures we face as a state on the front lines. ”

Mr. Mitsotakis noted, however, that the fence is not going to solve the problem by itself, but an integrated immigration policy is needed, which includes the management of secondary flows, fair sharing of refugee-related burdens, and returns. “This is absolutely critical. Those who are not eligible for refugee status should return to their countries of origin,” he stressed.

“We need a big wall with a big door,” he repeated. The Great Wall is to ensure border security, and the Great Door is a generous policy that welcomes refugees, but also the legal entry of economic migrants – because we need human resources to support our economic growth – into our European family.”

Where does Germany’s positions come from, where does the Berlin Wall come from, the idea of ​​a fence to keep people from going west causes reactions, Mr. Mitsotakis said.

“But it’s not a wall inside the EU. It’s a wall at the border of the EU. So if we want to have a Schengen zone where people can move freely, we have to make sure we protect our internal space,” he argued.

He said the EU’s land borders are not that long and are basically Greece and Bulgaria’s borders with Turkey.

When asked how he would convince Soltz and French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr. Mitsotakis assessed that Macron was already confident and repeated: “I owe it to the citizens to protect our territory and to ensure that we do not return to a situation where anyone can enter without respecting the rules of my country. That is what I am saying. I will urge the European Union for maximum support. If this is not possible, we will build a fence with national funds. .It is expensive, but for a country like Greece it is totally feasible.

The Prime Minister argued that the Greek authorities were not doing pushback, but rather preventing illegal entry into the sea. He expressed his hope that this would come within the framework of EU regulations. He added: “The less people we have at sea, the less likely we are to drown.” He added that none of the NGO complaints that the Greek Coast Guard was repatriating even money and goods from refugees had been substantiated.

“If someone is granted asylum in Greece, I want them to stay in Greece. If they want to “build” their life in Greece, we will welcome them. Can we offer the same benefits as Germany? No, we are not a rich country like Germany. And I offer more than that to Greek citizens. Privileges cannot be extended to refugees in Greece. I think everyone understands that”, Mr. Mitsotakis noted further.

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