The 88-year-old pontiff, who passed away shortly after delivering his Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi blessing, was honored with this Eastern Orthodox hymn, symbolizing resurrection and eternal life—a fitting tribute to a pope known for bridging divides
Greek Immigration and Asylum Minister Makis Voridis told Skai news channel that accepting such returns is “out of the question” given Greece’s position as the EU’s second-highest host of refugees per capita, after Cyprus. “As long as there is no fair distribution of burdens within the European Union, Greece will not accept any returns,” Voridis stated, emphasizing that returns would not address the broader migration issue.
Referring to Pope Francis as "brother", Patriarch Bartholomew noted that a meeting between them had been planned in May on the 1,700-year anniversary of the 1st Ecumenical Synod but "the God of life and death decided otherwise".
"In one month, we arranged nearly 170 returns, several of them voluntary. Beyond numerical performances, we moved swiftly to close a legal loophole that had come up with a Council of State decision. Within 15 days, we reintroduced the legal documentation of Turkiye as a safe country," he said.
The decision has prompted concern among refugee support organisations in both Germany and Greece, who warn that Greece fails to provide adequate support even to those granted refugee status.
Speaking on Parapolitika radio (90.1 FM) during the “Ekini ki Ego” program with journalists Thanassis Fouskidis and Stella Gadona, Voridis declared that the return of individuals who are not entitled to remain in Greece is a “fundamental pillar” of national migration policy. “Greece is not a country of uncontrollable entry and stay,” he stated.
