The Greek Minister of Immigration and Asylum participated in the Informal Meeting of the Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs of the European Union, which took place in Nicosia on 22 and 23 January 2026. Referring to immigration, the minister underlined the need to strengthen the protection of the external borders of the European Union, to prevent and substantially reduce illegal arrivals. As he noted, Greece has achieved measurable results, as in the last 5 months a reduction in immigration flows by approximately 13,000 people has been recorded.
He placed particular emphasis on the need to intensify returns, noting that their effective implementation is a crucial factor for the credibility of any migration policy. In this context, he stressed the need to exert increased pressure on third countries to accept the return of illegal immigrants, as well as the importance of European support for the creation and operation of return hubs. At the same time, the Greek Minister underlined the need to implement the concept of a safe third country through a different, revised interpretation of existing international conventions.
More information is available here.
- Ministry of Migration and Asylum | Υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης και Ασύλου (22 January, 2026), Μήνυμα για αυστηρότερη μεταναστευτική πολιτική από τον Υπουργό Μετανάστευσης στην άτυπη Σύνοδο της Λευκωσίας [Greek Minister sends message for stricter immigration policy],