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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-17Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM Tsipras to meet Chancellor Merkel on ThursdayPrime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, at 12.15, in Brussels ahead of the critical EU summit on the refugee issue.French President Francois Hollande will likely participate in the meeting. [02] Migration min. Mouzalas describes delays in refugee management at LIBE meetingBRUSSELS (ANA-MPA/M. Aroni) - The responsibilities of Europe as well as Greece for the so far failed attempt to manage the refugee crisis were stressed by Alternate Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas during a speech at the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in Brussels on Wednesday."We're here today because Europe didn't act united as Europe," he said, adding that the crisis unfolding in Greece is a European problem. He reminded the committee that since the Summit meeting last September, EU countries have not implemented the decisions taken then and that now the Balkan route closed unilaterally, without informing anyone, causing a serious humanitarian problem in Greece which could turn into a humanitarian crisis. He said the living conditions in Idomeni are "shameful for Greece and for Europe", as people were stranded there following the closure of the borders. Mouzalas also said the initial number of refugees that Greece pledged to keep in the country in September will have to be increased (from 23,000) but that more countries have to do their part in relocation. Mouzalas also spoke of Europe's delay in responding to Greek requests for help. He recalled that Greece had requested 1,400 men to staff FRONTEX last May and received no more than 700, while only 60 men of EASO are in Greece trying to complete asylum applications for 50,000 trapped people. [03] American actress Jolie to visit Mytilene on ThursdayAmerican actress and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie will visit Mytilene on Thursday, at 10 am.Jolie will visit the refugee camps at Kara Tepe and Morias. [04] Follow-up meetings between ministers and institutions' representatives on ThursdayFinance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Economy Minister George Stathakis and Labour Minister George Katrougalos will have a series of new meetings with the representatives of the institutions on Thursday in an effort to reach common ground before the creditors depart from Athens.According to their programme, they will discuss justice issues at 12.00, pension reforms at 13.00, fiscal figures at 16.00 and financial issues at 19.00. Despite the convergence achieved, they did not manage to come to an agreement on Wednesday with the tax free threshold being one of the main problems. [05] Two ferries with more than 540 refugees arrive at Pireaus on ThursdayThe ferry "Blue Star 1" with 544 refugees and migrants from two islands of Eastern Aegean Sea docked at the port of Piraeus on Thursday. More specifically, the ferry carried 182 persons from Chios and another 358 refugees and migrants from Mytilene.Later in the day is expected to arrive the ferry "Diagoras" carrying an unidentified number of refugees and migrants from the Dodecanese Islands. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |