The financing of the plan — an issue which can be contentious with voters — would also have to come from the Core Group. “We want to have a financially realistic project,” Plevris said, adding that members of the group want the Commission to eventually have an active role in the process.
The minister acknowledged that the plan would not lead to huge numbers of migrants being outsourced to third countries. “In reality, it is another means of exerting pressure that could increase voluntary returns,” he said. “It’s an unprecedented undertaking. Even though other countries have attempted something similar in the past, this is the first time it’s being attempted since the EU regulation was passed.”
On Thursday, at a meeting of EU interior ministers, Plevris will also submit Greece’s plan to deal with emergency migratory pressures — temporarily suspending asylum applications for newly arrived people. Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first presented this idea in an Op-Ed published on POLITICO after tens of thousands of migrants crossed the border into Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta.
“The EU migration will only work when Europe’s migration flows are managed,” Plevris said, adding that the bloc needs a mechanism to deal with emergencies.
Greece has been repeatedly accused of violating EU regulations for alleged illegal pushbacks of migrants. “Greece protects its borders in accordance with international law, and it says frankly that it will not apologize to anyone for protecting its borders,” the minister added.
Plevris, who has expressed hard-line views on migration, has expressed his support and admiration for U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach on the issue. “He gave the momentum that led to a change in migration policy, and essentially helped many groups —including us — who believed in a stricter immigration policy to see it materialize,” said Plevris.
He also confirmed that European prosecutors are investigating how Greece used EU funds to construct migrant camps. “We have been asked for data and information regarding audits and we have provided them, but there have been no further developments,” he added.