Statement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport on the departure of 50 unaccompanied minor refugees to Germany

Today is an important and, frankly, a very moving day, as 50 unaccompanied minors, children and adolescents, are leaving Greece to find a new home in Germany.

In the era of coronavirus this act of solidarity by the German Government is very much appreciated. The Greek Government has been, for many months now, making the case that we need more European solidarity in tackling the problem of unaccompanied minors.

We are very happy that with the work that we have put in with our Deputy Minister, Mr. Koumoutsakos, Ms. Agapidaki, our Special Rapporteur for Unaccompanied Minors, that European countries are finally responding. And we hope that within the next months approximately 1,600 unaccompanied minors will find a new home in Europe.

Dealing with the migration crisis should be a European responsibility. We should be burden-sharing and we should be able, as Europe, to start with the most pressing problem, which is the problem of unaccompanied minors. So today is an important day for Greece, an important day for European solidarity. But mostly it is an important day for these young kids and adolescents, who will leave Greece to start, with a new hope, a new life in Germany.

Thank you very much.