A Greek initiative to boost the return of migrants from Europe to their countries of origin was tabled Monday, by Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection George Koumoutsakos at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels.
Europe recognizes the burden Turkey has to bear hosting millions of migrants, but continuous Turkish threats over the issue are counterproductive, Greek Alternate Citizen Protection Minister responsible for migration policy George Koumoutsakos said to Turkish Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakli on Thursday evening.
Alternate Citizen Protection Minister for Migration Policy Giorgos Koumoutsakos on Tuesday said that some 40 pct of nearly 60 million displaced people worldwide originate from Arab countries, speaking at the 4th EU-Arab World Summit in Athens on Tuesday and citing data provided by the Carnegie Middle East Center in Lebanon.