Newly appointed Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis speaks during a handover ceremony, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' cabinet has been sworn in as his center-right New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)Newly appointed Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis applauds during a handover ceremony, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' cabinet has been sworn in as his center-right New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)Newly appointed Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis smiles during a handover ceremony, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' cabinet has been sworn in as his center-right New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)The members of Greece's new government take the oath during a swearing in ceremony at the Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greece's center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis cabinet has been sworn in as his New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, center, pose with the members of new government after a swearing in ceremony at the Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greece's center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis cabinet has been sworn in as his New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)The members of Greece's new government take the oath during a swearing in ceremony at the Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greece's center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis cabinet has been sworn in as his New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, speaks as the members of his new government wait for a swearing in ceremony at the Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greece's center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis cabinet has been sworn in as his New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, left, watches the members of his new government during a swearing in ceremony at the Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greece's center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis cabinet has been sworn in as his New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)The members of Greece's new government take the oath during a swearing in ceremony at the Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greece's center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis cabinet has been sworn in as his New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Newly appointed Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis speaks during a handover ceremony, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' cabinet has been sworn in as his center-right New Democracy party had 40.55%, more than twice the opposition Syriza party's 17.84% on Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
ATHENS – Greece’s new migration minister promised Tuesday to continue a “strict but fair” policy toward migration and attempts at illegal entry into the country, following a sweeping conservative reelection victory in general elections.
“We are humanitarians but not naïve,” the new minister, Dimitris Kairidis, told reporters hours after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ new government was sworn in.
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The center-right New Democracy party hammered left-wing opponents in elections Sunday for a comfortable win. It has promised to extend a wall along the Greek-Turkish border and continue rigorous patrolling in the eastern Mediterranean to stop boats carrying migrants crossing into the European Union.
Human rights groups have expressed concern over multiple reports of summary deportations – also known as pushbacks – a claim that the government has denied but also refused to subject to the scrutiny of a fully independent inquiry.
The new government was sworn in days after a fishing trawler sank south of Greece with hundreds dead or missing, a disaster that has focused international attention on migration in the Mediterranean.
Kairidis said his government hoped to finalize approval for an EU-wide migration agreement over the next six months when fellow EU member Spain will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union.
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