Mitsotakis, Merkel discuss burgeoning refugee crisis
In a telephone call on Friday Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the migration issue amid increasing arrivals from Turkey and a report calling for action to head off a new crisis.
On Wednesday, the European Court of Auditors issued a report urging the European Union to address shortfalls in its approach to easing migrant pressure on Greece and Italy and to draw lessons from its failures before a new crisis grips the continent.
A total of 2,152 migrants landed on the islands of the eastern Aegean between November 1 and 14.
The new arrivals are directed to state camps that are already intensely overcrowded as authorities seek to step up transfers to facilities on the mainland.
Mitsotakis has stressed to EU officials that Greece cannot handle the crisis alone and is pushing for the implementation of the revised Dublin Treaty, which foresees a more even distribution of refugees across the bloc.
According to sources, during his phone call with Merkel, Mitsotakis also broached the subject of North Macedonia’s EU accession prospects following a French veto that stalled both Skopje’s bid and the outlook for Albania.
