Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ talk at the session of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs on the ratification of the Agreement on the Employment of In season Workers in the Agricultural Field between Greece and Egypt -main points (10. one 2023) “The Intergovernmental Agreement among Greece and Egypt for that employment of 5000 periodic agricultural workers puts the particular brakes on illegal immigration. It is a model of legal plus regulated migration, which displays the way for Europe and may serve as a guide with other third countries”, emphasized Alternate Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis today, speaking at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence and International Affairs during the debate to the draft law for the ratification of the Agreement on the Employment of Seasonal Workers in the Agricultural Sector between Greece and Egypt.
Especially, Mr. Varvitsiotis, who signed the agreement in Cairo last November, so that 5, 000 agricultural workers through Egypt come to Greece, stated that with this agreement “we put an end to the trafficking associated with illegal migrants and near the opportunities for exploitation of those who are in the country illegally”. In particular, this agreement safe guards human rights and determines a legal regime, as employees will be registered, will make legal wages, have guaranteed living and feeding problems and enjoy all labour legal rights, such as insurance and medical care.
Mr. Varvitsiotis stated that the country is none adopting an anti-migration plan nor will it adopt an open borders policy, “because this could 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. It was, after all, the fundamental mandate provided to the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis by the Greek people”, he pointedly said.
In addition, the Alternate Minister attached particular importance to the transnational nature of the agreement, observing that it enables our country to hold high-level talks with third countries of source which will be responsible for the selection of the particular workers and cannot refuse their return if the employees violate the conditions of their stay here.
Mister. Varvitsiotis made special note of Greek-Egyptian relations, describing Egypt as a country of particular significance for Ancient greek foreign policy, with a crucial role in the stability of Libya and more broadly in the Southeastern Mediterranean, with which A holiday in greece has historical ties and has already signed two essential agreements (on the delimitation of the EEZ and on the delimitation of the search plus rescue areas). “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides engaged in these negotiations, specifically because we believe that the relations with Egypt are usually particularly important and should be expanded”, underlined the Alternate Minister, adding that this contract 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 European countries with a functioning model of migration policy – namely that of the legal transfer of workers – thus contributing to the debate that European countries will soon engage in concerning the new Pact on Immigration and Asylum.
