At the latest MED5 summit in the Canary Islands (April 19-20), Greece's Minister of Migration and Asylum Dimitris Kairidis paid tribute to the work of the so-called MED5 countries. He said that the five countries Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, and Malta have "joined forces for a strong and united Europe, to the benefit of Greece and the south of the European continent."

Kairidis highlighted the significant role and contribution of the five EU member states in both reaching the agreement on the EU's new Migration and Asylum Pact and its ongoing implementation process.

He added: "The migration challenge is decisively influencing politics in Europe today and the countries of the European south are at the forefront of its effective management. That is why the five countries of the European south demand and are entitled to wider European solidarity and support."

Also read: New EU Migration Pact explained

Ties with third countries

The Spanish interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, said there was "still a long way to go" and that the solution lay in "prevention" and addressing the root causes of migration "at its source".

"The key to migration management lies in bilateral cooperation," he told reporters. He called on the EU "to deepen and broaden partnerships and agreements with third countries" to stem the number of migrants reaching the EU via irregular means.

Prioritizing European funding for the countries under migration pressure

At the summit, the MED5 Ministers agreed on the importance of prioritizing European funding for their five countries, given that these are the states under the greatest migratory pressure.

Moreover, they highlighted the importance of striking a balance between solidarity and responsibility in the implementation of the new pact.

The work of the syndicate concluded with the adoption of a Joint Declaration.

After eight years of tough negotiations with the European Union's 27 member states, the European Parliament finally approved the pact on April 12. It represents a fundamental reform of asylum policy in the bloc.

The new pact comprises several intertwined laws and is primarily intended to reduce the number of new arrivals, speed up asylum procedures and establish centers for doing this at the European Union's external borders.

According to the EU's statistics agency Eurostat, the number of asylum applications has risen steadily in recent years, reaching 1.14 million in 2023. Around 4 million refugees from Ukraine have been accommodated in the bloc since 2022.

Also read: Mediterranean countries disappointed by migration relocation

Greece continues policy of stricter border protection and security measures

Greece maintains its policy of stricter border protection and tough security measures, despite ongoing criticism. Athens denies allegations of so-called pushbacks, arguing that criticisms from NGOs and human rights organizations are unfounded.

The government also points to its significant work in stopping traffickers trying to bring undocumented migrants into Europe.

Kairidis was also at pains to point out that it is Greece that has taken the initiative and plays a leading role in shaping a common, and what he says is a more effective, European policy on migration that includes cooperation with third countries of origin and transit, and the promotion of legal alternatives to illegal immigration, with conditions and rules that benefit both sides of the coin.

Also read: EU states discussing migration pact ahead of interior minister meeting