Key Takeaways
- The Greek and Maltese presidents met in Athens to push for stronger EU action on migration.
- President Vella warned that frontline states still lack full EU support despite years of pressure.
- Both leaders stressed the need to combat migrant traffickers’ networks through closer cooperation.
Athens: During their meeting here on Wednesday, the presidents of Greece and Malta urged member states of the European Union (EU) to demonstrate stronger solidarity on migration.
“Migration is not only an issue for the (Mediterranean Sea) coastal states but for the entire European family, which, in solidarity and in close cooperation with third countries, must address it,” Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou was quoted by the Greek national broadcaster ERT as saying.
Malta’s President George Vella is on an official visit to Greece.
Eight years down the road, the countries at the forefront have still not received “full support within the European Union.” President Vella added, “That is something I hope we should work at together to make the other European countries realize that it is a question of much needed solidarity.”
The migration challenge also dominated Vella’s separate meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during which the two leaders underlined the need to tackle the migrant traffickers’ networks, according to an e-mailed press statement.
