PM pushing for EU action on migration in Brussels
The European Council summit kicks off in Brussels on Thursday, with migration taking center stage.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrives with modest expectations but is determined to press for urgent progress on key issues. Central to his agenda is the swift implementation of the EU’s new Asylum and Migration Pact, which he argues is the only practical path for managing migration flows across the continent. Greece, as a frontline state, has long advocated for a more coordinated European response.
He is also expected to criticize Germany’s recent decision to close its borders to certain migrants, a move he believes undermines European solidarity. He is likely to emphasize that such unilateral actions create additional pressures on countries like Greece, already bearing the brunt of migration. By closing its borders, Germany not only disrupts the spirit of cooperation but also complicates efforts to find collective solutions, according to Greek officials.
In addition, Mitsotakis will call for the full activation of the EU’s return mechanism. This system requires that migrants who are denied asylum be sent back to their countries of origin. Mitsotakis will argue that this process needs to be faster and more efficient, facilitated by stronger agreements with non-EU countries to smooth the path for returns. This has been a long-standing demand from Athens, which has struggled with high numbers of asylum seekers.
At home, Mitsotakis faces growing pressure from political forces to his right. Some critics have accused him of not being tough enough on migration, with one right-wing politician even calling him a “leftist at heart.” Mitsotakis is keen to reaffirm his hardline stance to both his conservative base and the wider electorate. With tensions simmering inside his New Democracy party, he must also navigate internal divisions, as several MPs have expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s policies. By taking a firm position in Brussels, Mitsotakis hopes to bolster his standing both at home and within the broader European context.
