Greek ministry official on border controls with Germany: No mass-scale reversal of migrant flow observed
Greece's administration argues that they're not convinced the strengthened border controls in Germany will result in a massive influx of migrants and asylum seekers returning to their country. As Migration Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos put it to ERT television on Thursday, "There's been no issue of mass return." EU policies on asylum, he emphasized, only anticipate a "highly restricted number" of returns to Greece.
Still, Panagiotopoulos conceded that Germany wishes to send back more migrants to the European nation where they initially sought asylum.
Greece is among the numerous EU nations where a significant number of migrants penetrate the union's borders and the Schengen area. According to the Dublin system, refugees are expected to submit their asylum applications in the first European country they step foot in.
Germany implemented stricter controls in all neighboring countries at the start of September, justifying it as a necessity for a more robust stance towards unauthorized immigration. This measure went into effect on Monday. However, it's received some negative feedback from various European countries.
The Minister for Migration in Greece, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, disputes the notion that strengthened border controls in Germany will lead to a large-scale return of migrants and asylum seekers to Greece. Despite Germany's desire to send back more migrants, Panagiotopoulos maintains that there has been no mass return under current circumstances.
