Greek diplomatic sources expressed their content over the final conclusions of the EU summit as agreed early on Friday in Brussels.
Greece has managed to meet the four main goals it had set, they explained.
The same sources noted they are particularly pleased with the statement that ensures the integrity of the Schengen Treaty, giving an end to scenarios over Greece’s expulsion.
Relocation of refugees
They also stressed the need to avoid unilateral and uncoordinated actions, accelerate the relocation of refugees and implement the resettlement mechanism for refugees directly from Turkey.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras noted that from the 66,000 refugees to be relocated from Greece, less than 250 refugees have done so. He also stressed that there is no data on how many refugees have been relocated to the Western Balkans (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia).
“Greece has stressed since last summer the need to put pressure on countries such as Morocco, Pakistan, and Algeria for returns, but not a single return has been made,” Tsipras noted, adding that some of the partners harshly criticised Greece in the previous months. “Turkey has not received the same criticism,” he added.
Emergency EU summit
On its part, Germany proposed an emergency EU summit on March 6, with the participation of Turkey, and has pledged that the current status on the borders’ control will not change in the meantime.
Greek authorities find this development positive as there will be time until March 6 for the EU – Turkey agreement to be fully implemented and the NATO involvement in reducing refugee flows bear fruit.
Based on the aforementioned, Greece is expected to ask all involving countries to follow the example of Germany and not change the current status as regards the borders. Otherwise, it will not ratify the final conclusions (on the refugee issue and EU-Britain relation), the adoption of which requires the unanimity of all member states.
Source: sofokleous10.gr
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