A Greek official has criticized the outgoing European Commission for its failure to establish a unified policy for deporting migrants. Sofia Voultepsi, a deputy minister for migration, emphasized the need for a comprehensive system encompassing asylum, returns, and integration. She warned that the ongoing wars and climate change were exacerbating global displacement, placing Europe under constant pressure.
The landmark European Union migration pact agreed upon earlier this year, despite its significance, remains deficient in practical terms, according to Voultepsi. She highlighted the urgent necessity for a standardized approach to asylum, returns, and integration.
The escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, coupled with the adverse effects of climate change, are expected to exert sustained pressure on Europe. The new EU migration pact is scheduled to come into force in mid-2026, following a year-long round of negotiations among the bloc’s 27 member states.
Voultepsi expressed deep concern over the increasing number of refugees in Lebanon due to the ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting the militant group Hezbollah. She also drew attention to the combined impact of war and climate change on countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, resulting in a continuous influx of migrants towards Europe.
Greece, a primary entry point for migrants into the European Union, has witnessed numerous crossings from Turkey and Libya via unsafe boats. The coast guard recently rescued 81 migrants from a stranded vessel traveling from Turkey to Italy. The rescued individuals, who were taken to the southern Greek port of Kalamata, revealed paying $8,500 each for the perilous journey. Four of the passengers were subsequently arrested on smuggling charges.
Elsewhere in Europe, an Italian navy ship is set to dock at an Albanian port with a group of 16 migrants intercepted in international waters. Under a five-year agreement between the two countries, their asylum applications will be processed in Albania rather than Italy.
In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has proposed a temporary suspension of the right to asylum. The new migration policy, presented at a Cabinet meeting, requires approval from both the parliament and the conservative President Andrzej Duda.