German, Greek PMs stay tough on migration

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz broadly agreed on several issues Tuesday, such as defense, Ukraine and migration, with some small, but significant differences.

Overall, the tone of the first official meeting of the two leaders, both members of the center-right European People’s Party, in Berlin, was positive, even unusually so compared to past summits, when Greece’s subpar economic performance was a frequent source of friction.

Merz, who was approved by the German parliament last Tuesday, said he was “especially glad the Greek prime minister is the first visiting foreign leader.”

“Our relations have been tested, but have matured,” Mitsotakis told reported in a common press conference, while lauding the Greek economy as “among the most stable in the EU” and an attractive destination for German investments.

“We agreed to expand economic cooperation,” said Merz.

On migration, both leaders believe that “the new, strict rules on asylum must be implemented immediately,” as Merz stated. But the German chancellor also warned that “secondary migration from Greece to Germany must be reduced.”

“We have not agreed on everything on how to [approach] this issue, but I understand the German viewpoint,” said Mitsotakis. “Likewise, I ask for Germany’s understanding on what it means to be in the difficult position to have to protect Europe’s borders,” he added.

Kathimerini understands that, for the first time, Germany demanded a slice of the pie in Greece’s armaments program, expected to cost up to €28 billion over the next 12 years. Germany has been forced by developments in Ukraine to abandon its previous reticence to expanding its weapons production and exports.

A thorn in the weapons issue is Germany’s decision to export the advanced Eurofighter aircraft to Turkiye. 

Kathimerini