Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has expressed concerns over the recent bilateral agreement between Italy and Albania on handling migration, particularly regarding its asylum process.
Speaking in an interview with the Financial Times while in Brussels for the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, Mr. Mitsotakis questioned whether the agreement could serve as a model for the wider European Union, urging caution before considering it for broader application.
“These people are being processed according to Italian asylum law, and whatever happens to them, they will be returned to Italy,” said Mr. Mitsotakis.
“If we did this at a European level… where would they go?” he pondered, signaling the complexities involved in scaling such a plan.
During the interview, Mr. Mitsotakis also called on the EU to balance efforts to curb irregular migration with an increase in legal migration pathways, highlighting Europe’s pressing need for both skilled and unskilled labor.
“If you want to build a big fence, you also need a big door,” he explained, referencing Greece’s own labor shortages.
"Who will pick our olives? We are a shrinking continent, and we all recognize that to maintain our productivity, we will need labor."
The Greek Prime Minister further noted his country’s success in rescuing thousands of migrants at sea but underscored the importance of tightening entry regulations.
He also emphasized the need for the EU to double its efforts to increase deportations of migrants, noting that currently only 20% of deportations are carried out.
As a political ally of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Mr. Mitsotakis's comments reflect broader challenges the EU faces in creating a cohesive migration strategy, particularly as labor shortages and asylum issues remain critical points of contention.