Greek PM: Migrant issue affects all of Europe

ATHENS

Greece expects support and cooperation from the European Union (EU) on its migration problem, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Thursday.

Mitsotakis met European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas and Ylva Johansson in Athens, where he said Greece looks forward to the EU's help and tangible suggestions regarding the migration issue.

"This is a matter that has a clear European dimension,” he said. “It is not a Greek-Turkish issue, it is a matter for the whole of the European Union.”

Johansson said the EU is ready to work with Greece on ideas and proposals to solve problems.

She stressed the ultimate goal should be a common European asylum system.

"We have already begun presenting some ideas for a European return mechanism," she added.

Schinas and Johansson will visit Turkey on Friday to discuss the issue.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut