The problem of illegal immigration is a European problem, said here Monday Greece’s Minister for the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation, Prokopis Pavlopoulos noting that Europe should protect EU borders, especially countries of the south which face illegal immigration issues, such as Cyprus and Greece.
Speaking after being received by President Tassos Papadopoulos, Pavlopoulos also said that Europe should not make concessions as far as Turkey’s EU accession course is concerned.
“There cannot be concessions because if Europe acts along these lines, then the whole thing will degenerate. The issue is not for Europe to shift in order to meet Turkey or other states, but for Turkey to go forward to meet Europe,†Pavlopoulos said.
Turkey, he added, should be seen as a candidate country which adopts fully the acquis communautaire, adding that if Turkey does not do this, it would be violating European law, something which would call for European sanctions.
The Greek Minister said Athens and Nicosia share the same views on illegal immigration, which he described as a European problem, pointing out that Greece and Cyprus will call on the EU to take seriously into consideration the fact that countries which want to maintain friendly relations with the EU or join the Union should sign up to the conditions of re-entry of illegal immigrants or at least observe them.
Pavlopoulos thanked President Papadopoulos for visiting the southern Greek village of Artemida which Cyprus has undertaken to rebuild following the catastrophic fires this summer.
Regarding the Memorandum of Cooperation on issues concerning security and police cooperation, signed on Monday with Justice and Public Order Minister Sofoclis Sofocleous, Pavlopoulos said that it covers a wider spectrum, based on new danger relating to crime. The emphasis is on cooperation to combat organised crime, terrorism, economic and electronic crime and crime against cultural property.
The agreement, he said, concerns cooperation on dealing with crime that has appeared as a result of advanced technology and cooperation among liaison officers both countries have at different locations.
Cypriot Justice Minister Sofocleous said “today marks a very important day for both ministries and both Police Forcesâ€.
