The Greek PM expressed his satisfaction, he also repeated his previous claim, that those who wanted the borders shut regardless of the number of refugee arrivals in Greece were isolated. “A three month effort became reality, it became accepted that this is an international crisis which concerns the EU in its entirety and should be jointly dealt with. Until 15 days ago this, a joint solution between EU and Turkey, looked like an abandoned plan. At the EuroSummit most participants were aiming at the closure of the Balkan Route without the subsequent lessening of incoming refugees. Greece was about to become a soul warehouse, this plan was overturned. Greece achieved a crucial diplomatic victory in the last days. In cooperation with Cyprus, we managed to avert the irrational demands of Turkey”.
Tsipras also spoke of the various chapters that would be opened concerning the negotiations for the acceptance of Turkey into the EU. The PM stated that Nicosia and Greece managed to pass their positions in order to secure that no problems would arise towards the solution of the Cyprus problem. “The demands for the opening of those chapters which have been frozen by Cyprus are no longer on the table. Other chapters are being opened. After a difficult effort we managed to persuade that it was crucial not to creat wounds in the effort to resolve the Cyprus problem”.
“In Smyrna we set the foundation for today's agreement. He who dares and has a plan, reaches success. During the past two days we demanded full legal guarantees so that the agreement would be completely within international law. The asylum evaluation process will be fully within the rules of International Law. We demanded that the whole procedure will take place in collaboration with the UNCHR”.
The Prime Minister presented the three “filters” according to which the influx of migrants, and particularly illegal migrants who come into Greece can be lessened. “The NATO deployment, the attack on the traffickers from Turkey are controlling filters”, the deterrent for the illegal migrants, will be that they will be immediately returned to Turkey.
For one more time he asked that people should not stay in Idomeni as their lives and health are in danger.