Greek PM announces tighter border controls to stem migrant flows

With the coronavirus having crossed Greece's threshold, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday announced tighter border controls to tackle migrant flows.

Addressing his cabinet, he said that since the flows include people from Iran and Afghanistan, where cases of the new coronavirus have been confirmed, Greece is citing European Commission Regulation 2016/399, and in particular Paragraph 6, regarding the prevention of threats to public health.

To the end of imposing tighter controls, Mitsotakis instructed the Merchant Marine Ministry and port authorities to significantly increase the number of vessels and patrols off the islands of the eastern Aegean.

"Under international law we will increase controls both at sea and on land," Mitsotakis said, adding that he has already informed the European Commission of his decision, which must be seen "as a health...