ATHENS – Main opposition SYRIZA spokesperson Alexis Charitsis on Friday called for a European-level response to reported developments in Idlib, Syria, and Turkey’s statements that it will not stop the refugees that want to go to Europe.

“It is very crucial, if the information and the developments are confirmed, for Greece to intervene at European level and ask for an emergency EU Summit in order to see how we will deal with this new situation at European level,” Charitsis said.

In an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA), Charitsis noted: “If the media reports are true then we are talking about the abolition of EU-Turkey agreement, which initially refers to the refugees from Syria. Let’s wait and see and be very careful about our statements. In any case, it is important for Greece to raise the issue at a European level.”

Referring to the situation on the islands that receive refugee flows and criticising the outcome of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ meeting with North Aegean islands’ authorities, Charitsis underlined: “Meetings are good, it is a good thing that they met… but once again they are underestimating how difficult the situation on the islands is, a difficult situation that they themselves created.” He pointed out that these islands have in the last few days experienced unprecedented tension, repression and violence that is reminiscent of other eras and other regimes, and not Greek democracy. “On the occasion of the meeting, the prime minister did not even consider apologising to the islanders who experienced this unprecedented violence, for which he was responsible,” he said.

Commenting the measures announced by Mitsotakis to strengthen protection of the borders in the context of protection from the coronavirus, Charitsis added: “Woe if the government, in order to escape from under the pressure, for which it is itself responsible, over the refugee issue, makes this connection between the coronavirus, the refugee issue and the protection of the borders. It is a logic that attempts to add fuel to the fire and cultivate racist thinking and notions in Greek society”.