Greece has presented its strictest plan yet to deter migrants to other EU governments, pushing for the establishment of "return hubs" outside the continent.
The country’s newly appointed migration minister, Thanos Plevris, used a meeting of the bloc’s interior ministers in Copenhagen on Tuesday to urge them to prioritize deportations and to create pre-departure holding centers to stem migrant arrivals, News.Az reports citing Politico.
He also presented Greece’s draft law on illegal immigration, which has been submitted for public consultation. The bill includes swifter asylum rejections, stricter prison terms, a reduction in benefits, and the possibility of electronic surveillance for illegal entrants.
“The new Greek legislation has aroused particular interest among ministers, as it is seen as the strictest ever submitted at EU level,” said a Greek government official, who like others quoted here spoke on condition of anonymity due to the confidential nature of the discussions.
“This has led to numerous requests for bilateral meetings with [Plevris] in order to better understand the new framework.”
Plevris had separate meetings with counterparts from Austria, France and Germany as well as with officials from EU border agency Frontex. Discussions focused on the need for more effective management of external borders and measures to deter arrivals.
Greece’s government said it plans to introduce “disincentives” for migrants, including reviewing the meals it offers in the camps.
“The return of illegal migrants must be our top priority,” Plevris told reporters, adding that “return hubs” in third countries should be located “not just outside the European Union, but beyond the European continent.”
According to a senior Greek official, among the countries mentioned as possible hosts for return hubs are Albania, where Italy already has a base, as well as Libya and Tunisia.
