Greek Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum Sevi Voloudaki has called for a unified and strict European Union migration policy, warning that member states cannot be allowed to handle border crises under separate rules. Speaking on Wednesday morning during a television interview on state broadcaster ERT News, Voloudaki said differing national approaches create pull factors for migrants and leave all European nations facing the consequences.
The deputy minister spoke on the morning program Syndeseis following recent developments in Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast bordering Morocco that serves as one of the European Union's external land borders. Voloudaki stated that the ongoing debate across member states highlights the urgent need for a shared European mechanism to manage sudden increases in migration flows.
Voloudaki pointed to Greece's own border enforcement strategy as evidence that strict measures produce results. She noted that Greece faced a comparable migration crisis along its northeastern Evros border, where the country shares a land boundary with Turkey. Since 2019, she said, the Greek government has enforced a fair but firm border protection policy that has successfully reduced unauthorized arrivals.
Border enforcement and asylum procedures
Under current Greek policy, Voloudaki explained, all national borders must be strictly guarded and migration must take place through legal channels. She noted that individuals who enter Greece illegally now understand that they will not be granted legal status under any circumstances, a policy she said acts as a strong deterrent against unlawful crossings.
Addressing situations involving mass arrivals, Voloudaki argued that individual countries should not be left to determine their own policies independently. She called for measures that would allow European countries to suspend the processing of asylum applications during emergency surges, alongside the immediate deportation of individuals who do not qualify for international protection.
Strengthening Frontex and legal migration
Voloudaki also urged European leaders to expand the operational scope of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. Speaking to show presenters Nina Kasimati and Alexandros Mordountak, she argued that the Warsaw-based agency must not be restricted solely to maritime search and rescue operations, but should be empowered to carry out active border guarding across external European frontiers.
Highlighting inconsistencies across the bloc, the deputy minister questioned why different member states maintain conflicting border rules. She emphasized that Greece cannot apply one set of rules while Spain applies another, as any resulting fallout impacts the entire European Union.
Closing her remarks, Voloudaki stated that legitimate migration should take place strictly through intergovernmental agreements designed to meet specific labor market demands. She added that refugees and others entitled to international protection must continue to seek asylum through established procedures under the existing European framework.
