Migration exploited for leverage, says former police inspector general

In mid-July, just days after New Democracy was elected to power, the government held a meeting on the immigration crisis with officials from the Greek Police, Coast Guard, Armed Forces and the Reception and Identification Service.
The meeting was called by the new general secretary for migration policy, reception and asylum, Patroklos Georgiadis. The Greek Police (ELAS) was represented by Police Lieutenant General Zacharoula Tsirigoti, inspector general for aliens and border protection, who retired shortly after, on July 23.

Addressing the meeting, Tsirigoti warned that a significant increase in arrivals in the coming months should not be ruled out.

"Turkey is exploiting the migrant crisis as a form of leverage in its relations with the European Union, but also on a bilateral level, with our country," she stressed.

She also revealed that three meetings...