In the context of his participation at the meeting of the EU General Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, G. Katrougalos, stressed that the migration issue must be handled in a comprehensive manner. Mr. Katrougalos stressed in addition that previous decisions must be respected, including those on relocation of migrants – decisions that were recently upheld by the European Court – and that the EU must promote a new asylum system based on solidarity and the equal sharing of burdens and responsibility. The Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs also highlighted the need to set up a European mechanism for the return of migrants and that it is of vital importance that the Schengen single space of free movement not be undermined. Mr. Katrougalos underscored the need for the Digital Europe plans to be accompanied by a digital tax. Thus, he explained, the EU’s own resources will be bolstered and multinational internet companies will pay their fair share of taxes. Mr. Katrougalos also confirmed the great importance of the European organization for cyber security, ENISA, which is based in Greece, and he supported a proposal for strengthening civil protection mechanisms in order to deal with natural disasters, such as wildfires. Finally, in the context of the debate on rule of law and freedom of the press, he highlighted the importance of freedom of the press for the existence of democracy, quoting Thomas Jefferson: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” Mr. Katrougalos also had a bilateral meeting with the UK Minister of State, Joyce Anelay, ahead of the Council debate on the progress in the Brexit talks.
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