Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ speech at the session of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs on the ratification of the Agreement on the Employment of Seasonal Workers in the Agricultural Sector between Greece and Egypt -main points (10.1.2023)
“The Intergovernmental Agreement between Greece and Egypt for the employment of 5000 seasonal agricultural workers puts the brakes on illegal migration. It is a model of legal and regulated migration, which shows the way for Europe and can serve as a guide with other third countries”, emphasized Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis today, speaking at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs during the debate on the draft law for the ratification of the Agreement on the Employment of Seasonal Workers in the Agricultural Sector between Greece and Egypt.
In particular, Mr. Varvitsiotis, who signed the agreement in Cairo last November, so that 5,000 agricultural workers from Egypt come to Greece, stated that with this agreement “we put an end to the trafficking of illegal migrants and close the opportunities for exploitation of those who are in the country illegally”. In particular, this agreement safeguards human rights and establishes a legal regime, as workers will be registered, will earn legal wages, have guaranteed living and feeding conditions and enjoy all labour rights, such as insurance and health care.
Mr. Varvitsiotis stated that the country is neither adopting an anti-migration policy nor will it adopt an open borders policy, “because this would open the backdoor, as in 2015, and our country would basically cancel what it has achieved over the last four years, namely the protection of its borders and the containment of illegal migrants. This was, after all, the fundamental mandate given to the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis by the Greek people”, he pointedly said.
Furthermore, the Alternate Minister attached particular importance to the transnational nature of the agreement, noting that it enables our country to hold high-level talks with third countries of origin which will be responsible for the selection of the workers and cannot refuse their return if the workers violate the conditions of their stay here.
Mr. Varvitsiotis made special note of Greek-Egyptian relations, describing Egypt as a country of particular significance for Greek foreign policy, with a key role in the stability of Libya and more broadly in the Southeastern Mediterranean, with which Greece has historical ties and has already signed two important agreements (on the delimitation of the EEZ and on the delimitation of the search and rescue areas). “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has engaged in these negotiations, precisely because we believe that our relations with Egypt are particularly important and should be expanded”, underlined the Alternate Minister, adding that this agreement will serve as a model, leaving open the possibility of concluding similar agreements with other countries or in other sectors of the economy.
Lastly, the Alternate Minister underscored that with this agreement Greece presents Europe with a functioning model of migration policy – namely that of the legal transfer of workers – thus contributing to the debate that Europe will soon engage in regarding the new Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Source: Hellenic Republic – Ministry of Foreign Affairs