Makis Voridis responded after the reactions caused by his rhetorical question on Tuesday (9/6) in Parliament, during the discussion on preventing migration flows. The New Democracy MP, speaking on a television program, emphasized that neither the parties nor the government adopt such a position. At the same time, he also responded to the possibility of former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras creating a political party.
What applies to migration and prevention policies
The New Democracy MP, speaking on a SKAI television program, questioned what can be done when migrant boats have already departed from Libya and are in the middle of the sea. He noted that prevention policies are applied at the land borders of Evros, while in the Aegean, cooperation with Turkey allows in many cases the interception and return of migrants. At the same time, he emphasized how when vessels have already been found in international waters from Libya, the prevention possibilities are extremely limited. “Is there anyone who raises their hand and says we will go and sink the boats?” he characteristically asked, adding that neither the parties nor the government adopt such a position.
At the same time, Makis Voridis mentioned that from the moment migrants enter the country, the prescribed procedure for examining asylum applications is followed. Those who are entitled to international protection remain in the country, while for those whose applications are rejected, return procedures should be activated faster and more effectively, he said.
Additionally, the New Democracy MP referred to the legislative initiative of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, speaking of a stricter framework for managing illegal immigration. Also, as he said, already compared to last year “we have a 50% reduction” in migration flows, adding that the new regulations provide, among other things, for an increase in detention time in pre-departure centers for those whose asylum applications are rejected, while for the first time the path opens for creating facilities outside the European Union.
On the possibility of Samaras creating a party: Individual founder’s will is not enough for success
Makis Voridis, responding to the possibility of Antonis Samaras creating a party, emphasized that “a component of parties can be the personal will of their founder. To be successful, individual will is not enough. Otherwise, we would each create a party and tear things apart. It doesn’t work that way.” At the same time, he stressed that “parties must have political and social ideological correspondences. They must satisfy demands that exist in society and have not been satisfied, and which someone comes and says they can fill that gap.”
Commenting on the criticism the government receives from Antonis Samaras regarding foreign policy and defense, the New Democracy MP emphasized that “this government has established 12 nautical miles in the Ionian Sea, has made contracts for extractions where the pseudo-Turkish-Libyan memorandum is. It has made an EEZ with Egypt, marine parks to the maximum extent that international law allows, has made perhaps the largest armament program since the restoration of democracy, has unified the defense space, has made strategic alliances with Israel, Cyprus, the USA, has sent frigates to Cyprus and someone comes and says this is appeasement policy.”
In closing, Makis Voridis, responding about polls and the difference in electoral results between the European elections and national elections, emphasized that “I don’t know who reads what from measurements, I saw some recent measurements that say something about 30-31% and we haven’t entered the elections yet. Self-reliance is not at 41%, it’s at 36%.”
