The Greek Minister for Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas confirmed yesterday to Greek media that his government requested support from the EU for its northern borders.
Specifically, the Greek government asked Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, to guard Greece’s northern borders in a request filed in September, said the Minister confirming reports in German magazine “Der Spiegel”.
According to the German magazine Frontex plans to deploy forces for the first time since the migration crisis started in Greece’s border with FYROM.
“Yes, of course it is true. Already from September we had invited Frontex and the organisation, based on plans of the European Union, as it does in other countries, is operating at the northern borders and the borders with Albania to diminish secondary [refugee] flows,” the minister confirmed
The Minister said the request was made as part of the effort “to avoid secondary flows – that is illegal movements of refugees towards other countries”, adding this has “nothing to do” with the EU-Turkey deal.
“The Greek government is trying to increase legal relocation towards Europe and we have no mood or intention to facilitate illegal migration,” he continued.
“This is how we refute the lies told by the Visegrad countries and Austria, which are spread by some sources [and claim] that more than 700 people per day cross the border illegally. This has stopped.”
