A powerful message in favor of strict immigration policy, with the level of returns and the fight against illegal immigration, was sent by Cairo by the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Makis Voridis, During his intervention at the 2nd Ministerial Conference of the Cartam process, held on April 9, 2025, according to a ministry.
Mr Voridis made it clear that management of immigration requires a comprehensive, realistic and decisive approach, stressing that there can be no reliable migration system without operational return mechanisms. As he pointed out, returns are a key pillar of not only the effectiveness, but also the credibility of the European Framework of Migration and Asylum.
“Greece consistently supports the strategy of returns and welcomes the fact that both the Ministerial Declaration of Cairo and the Action Plan raise this issue at the center,” he said, calling on states to strengthen cooperation between them.
Special reference made to the importance of legal and organized immigration, arguing that the Greek -Egyptian agreement should become a model of bilateral cooperation. As he made clear, the positive side of immigration is based on legality, control and mutual benefit. There is no tolerance for the illegal practices of traffickers.
Referring to the new European Pact for Migration and Asylum, the minister stated the need for a balanced approach, with a fair distribution of responsibilities and the effective guarding of the external borders. At the same time, he emphasized that the external dimension of the pact must acquire meaningful and practical content, through enhanced cooperation with countries of origin and transit. “Europe needs less words and more action. The partnerships must be binding and measurable – not general declarations with no result, “he said.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Mr. Voridis had significant bilateral contacts with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelati, the Deputy Foreign Minister and responsible for immigration, ambassador Nabil Habassi, The Minister of Labor, Mohammed Gobran, as well as the EU’s Home Affairs and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner. The central theme of the discussions was the enhancement of the implementation of the Hellenic Egyptian Mobility Agreement, with an emphasis on the employment of Egyptian workers in Greece – in particular in the fields of agricultural production and fishing, and it was agreed to expand in the field of construction. At the same time, it was agreed to boost coordination to increase the rate of return of illegal immigrants. The minister officially addressed his Egyptian counterpart to visit Athens.
Mr. Voridis was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum, Sevi Voloudaki and the Secretary General of Migration Policy, Manos Logothetis.
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