Greece is the guardian of the European civilization, Alternate FM Xydakis says

Greece guards the national and European borders and is not going to sink boats with children, Alternate Foreign Minister responsible for European Affairs Nikos Xydakis said in a statement on refugees.

Greece is a guardian of the European civilisation, he underlined adding that this applies to all EU member states that stand by the refugees, such as Germany, Austria, Sweden and others. He noted that Greece has rescued 104,000 children and adults so far in the Aegean Sea.

As regards the identification centres, the so-called hotspots, he said that despite the delays, they will have been completed within some days.

Xydakis stressed the need for Europe to quickly implement the co-decided with the European Council relocation program of 160,000 refugees and implement the EU agreement with Turkey, the so-called Joint Action Plan, which provides for a drastic reduction in flows, the safe relocation of refugees from the Turkish territory and the extensive readmission to Turkey in the framework and the readmission agreement between Greece and Turkey.

Moreover, he placed special emphasis on the EU international role, stressing that it must focus on the real problem, the war in Syria and the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey.