ND vows to step up scrutiny of government’s immigration policy
Greek conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday vowed to step up criticism of the leftist-led government’s immigration policy following an eight-month political hiatus mandated by record-breaking arrivals and concerns about Grexit.
“Regrettably, on many of the issues on which there seemed to be an agreement with the government, we have not seen the necessary progress,” said Mitsotakis after a meeting with the European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos at New Democracy’s new headquarters in Moschato, southern Athens.
The opposition, Mitsotakis said, wants to see stricter separation between migrants and refugees, the establishment of pre-departure centers for the return of economic migrants to their countries of origin, and better use of European Union funds.
The visit by Avramopoulos, a former ND heavyweight, was seen by analysts as a symbolic gesture of unity.
“I will be on your side in this new effort,” Avramopoulos told Mitsotakis, who took over the party’s helm in January.
