Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-07

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Merkel speaks out against closure of Balkan route

[02] The refugees problem is the result of Europe's reluctance to implement common desicions, says Alt. Migration Min Mouzalas

[01] Merkel speaks out against closure of Balkan route

The same source said that although the Austrian position was prevailing until yesterday, coordinated opposition reactions from the European Commission, German Chancellor Merkel and the Greek government appears to have changed the negotiation basis. Therefore, the main priorities are for Greece to continue the construction of hotspots, NATO and Frontex operation in the Aegean Sea to bring results, Turkey to accept the readmission of undocumented migrants before June 1 and a refugees relocation process from Turkey to start.

[02] The refugees problem is the result of Europe's reluctance to implement common desicions, says Alt. Migration Min Mouzalas

"The borders are closed and the whole problem is created because of the EU, which instead of materializing its own decisions has become the victim of unilateral actions. These actions which, on the one hand it strongly condemns and on the other hand cannot confront. And I am referring to the voices of some countries like Austria and those of Wisegrad", stressed Mouzalas.

"The only solution EU can offer is the solution we agreed in the beginning of the crisis", which is the immediate allocation of refugees directly from Turkey, after the completion of a thorough identification of all refugees, said Mouzalas. "Of these three steps, the only one that is completed for now is their identification in Greece. What happens now is that we identify them and they remain in Greece," he concluded.

As for the role of Turkey, the Alternate Minister said that the Turkish factor is "from the beginning a part within the problem. The flows begin from its territory."

In his interview the minister stressed that Greece efforts focus on resolving the problem within its territory, but also to follow the basic principles of Europe. "We are trying hard to solve the problem created inside our territory and our effort is according to the common decisions and we hope that Europe will maintain the character it has since its birth. As a gynaecologist, I can assure you that the character cannot be changed. I think Europe will be exactly as it was born. The Europe of Enlightenment, of Romanticism and not the Medieval Europe."

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