German state premier visits Greece to discuss migration
North Rhine Westphalia State Premier Armin Laschet is visiting Greece on Monday for a series of meetings with Greek officials to discuss migration and regional developments.
Laschet will first meet Alternate Migration and Asylum Minister Giorgos Koumoutsakos at 10.30 a.m. with whom he will assess the latest developments in the migration crisis at national, regional and European level, and the strengthening of the collaboration between Greece and Germany on the issue.
“Greece needs Europe’s solidarity. We must not leave Greece alone in the refugee crisis,” the German official said ahead of his arrival to Greece.
His next appointment is with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at noon at Maximos Mansion and a third meeting is planned with Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias at 3 p.m.
Laschet will be accompanied by NRW Family Minister Joachim Stamp, as North Rhine-Westphalia had in July announced it would relocate unaccompanied minors from Greece.
He will also travel to Lesvos, where he will meet with representatives of refugee reception centers and humanitarian aid organizations, as well as police officers from North Rhine-Westphalia who currently serve in EU border patrol agency Frontex in Greece.
