Common asylum policy necessary, Timmermans and Avramopoulos say

Gazzetta team 4 Σεπτεμβρίου 2015 - 14:49

European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans and European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos are visiting Kos island on Friday to be briefed on the serious condition on the Aegean island provoked by the increased migrants and refugees flow.

A meeting was held at the town hall in the presence of both top European officials with the participation of Health Minister Athanassios Dimopoulos, Alternate Citizen Protection Minister Ioannis Mouzalas, Alternate Shipping Minister Christos Zois, South Aegean regional governor Fotis Hatzidiakos and representatives of the local authorities.

A press conference on the results of the meeting will follow.

During the meeting Timmermans congratulated the society of Kos and the Greek people in general for their humanitarianism and noted that "If we do not succeed in implementing a common asylum policy in Europe then we will have failed."

On his part, Avramopoulos stated "Europe is here today" and reassured that they will do everything to face the migration problem which the islands' communities are called to confront with a very small budget. Avramopoulos also said that 442 million euros will be allocated by the European Union for the management of the migration and particularly for Kos adding that there will be immediate action and initiatives to speed up the identification procedures and the rapid tranfer of the migrants off the island in order for the local community to be decongested from thousands of refugees and migrants that arrive every day on the island.