“He is one of the longest-serving leaders in Europe. “His experience and clear vision help the discussions on both the day and the community agenda,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a joint press conference after meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. at the Maximos Palace.

“We are concerned about the pandemic, the outbreak is besieging the whole of Europe,” he said, referring to the two leaders’ agenda.

“We have about the same cases per capita. The same measures apply everywhere. The fourfold choice is common: the economies should not close again, we should do many tests and keep our distance, we should strengthen the health systems, and we should increase the general vaccination in the third installment “, said the prime minister.

Referring to the immigration problem, K. Mitsotakis called for “protection of European and national borders but also rescue of the oppressed people. The common rival is the miserable traffickers,” said the Prime Minister, stressing that what happened in Evros a year and a half ago is unfortunately repeated today in Belarus. . And Europe now realizes that this instrumentalization of refugees by authoritarian regimes can affect it. “

“The new EU asylum pact must distribute the burden of flows fairly and be decisive for third countries,” he said.

On the issue of Turkey, the Prime Minister emphasized its “continuous slippage with aggressive rhetoric”

“The issue of principle for Greece is the appeal of our sovereign rights. We remain calm in the challenges, armed with the force of international law and our decisive defense readiness. The dual approach to the European Council is right. “Ultimately, our neighbors should choose for themselves if they can and want to walk the path of Europe,” the prime minister underlined.

He also called for a common line on issues concerning Libya. “Elections should be held, the ceasefire should be observed, the Security Council resolutions should be respected and all mercenaries should be withdrawn,” he stressed.

An “other” Greece

“You will remember, Mark, the constant calls for reform in my country. The difference is that now Greece is making cuts and its own work. Greece of 2021 has nothing to do with Greece of 2015 when it came very close to its expulsion from the eurozone, the prime minister said, stressing that “the Netherlands is one of the largest investors in our country.”