The Schengen issue was not discussed at the EU ministers meeting in Amsterdam, Greek Alternate Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas noted, revealing that only the Belgian minister touched the issue.
“An unbelievable minister proposed setting up a camp for 300,000 refugees in Athens and referred to the possibility of leaving the Schengen zone and pushing back into the sea, which is illegal and constitutes a criminal act,” Mouzalas said in an interview with SKAI TV on Tuesday referring to the Belgian Minister.
On the contrary, the major EU countries (Germany, France, Italy) said that we need more Schengen and referred to the European Commission spokeswoman’s statements on the issue.
He declined that Greece was accused of not protecting sufficiently its borders, with the exception of the Austrian Minister, noting that the Frontex’s position, as it was expressed at the Summit, was “vindicating” for Greece because as they said “sea is not a field.”
Referring to the February 15 deadline for the hotspots, he recognised that there is a delay but he estimated that Greece will find a way to solve the problem. He announced that the hotspots will be ready by the end of February and will start operating in early March.
Concluding, Mouzalas said “the Schengen Treaty is in danger at European level, Europe is in danger, Europe is afraid, I am worried.”
(source: ana-mpa)
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