ATHENS – New Democracy MP Theodoros Rousopoulos has been elected chairperson of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Rousopoulos was proposed as a candidate by the European People’s Party.

The committee deals with a wide range of issues regarding migration, including human trafficking and issues of international law.

“I thank my colleagues from all political groups that honoured me with their vote and especially the head of the Greek delegation Dora Bakoyannis for her tireless efforts,” Rousopoulos said after his election, adding that migration was an issue “which affects us all”.

Greece was a country that had experienced it at first hand, he added, but “will insist on the creation of conditions of solidarity between the member-states of both the European Union and the Council of Europe”.

In addition, Rousopoulos was elected as a vice-president of the European People’s Party group at the CoE, which means that Greece now has two vice-presidents in the EPP group.