G. GERAPETRITIS: It is with great pleasure and honor that I welcome today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Austrian Foreign Minister, Mr. Schallenberg, my dear friend Alexander.
Our countries are bound by a long-standing, historical friendship, by cultural ties that have developed over time.
Vienna holds a very significant place in the history of Greece as the intellectual centre of Hellenism and the Greek Enlightenment in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was precisely in the printing houses of Austria’s current capital that the works of great Greeks such as Rigas Feraios, Anthimos Gazis, Neophytos Doukas were printed. Or where great works of the Modern Greek Enlightenment, including those of Iosipos Misiodakas, were translated, proclaiming the principles that led to the Greek Revolution - the principles of liberty, equality, democracy.
The fundamental principles which we still apply today in our foreign policy, both Austria and Greece.
Current security challenges in the region and globally demonstrate that stability in the world is extremely fragile and volatile. And we are faced with the great responsibility of upholding the righteous course of action, which we owe to history and future generations.
The war in Ukraine “roused us from our daydreams of a post-historical Europe”, as the Minister, Mr. Schallenberg, aptly stated on the occasion of the Russian invasion.
The same could be said of the war in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, which obviously needs to end immediately. It is necessary for the peace process to move forward, for the hostages who are still being held to be released immediately and unconditionally. There must be unhindered humanitarian aid and, of course, a further spillover of the crisis must be prevented.
Of course, stability and prosperity in our region and in the world also pass through our region, a region of common interest to Greece and Austria, which is the Western Balkans. Undoubtedly, the Western Balkans' European course contributes to the unity, stability, and prosperity in our region.
A course that began in Thessaloniki in 2003 and continues with unwavering dedication to this day. Greece is one of the countries, leading the way in assisting Western Balkan states to join the European family and provide a better future for their citizens.
The "Group of Friends of the Western Balkans" was established in June 2023, and it is a significant initiative of Austrian origin in this long-term endeavor. A truly significant endeavor that provides an enduring impetus to the demand and effort for the integration of the Western Balkans into Europe, the European family. It has already contributed significantly to the fruitful dialogue with tangible results.
I would like to congratulate the dear Minister on a very successful meeting held in Göttweig between the Group of Friends and the foreign ministers of the six Western Balkan countries.
The prospect of European membership, of course, passes through the path of law, the European acquis, democracy, minority rights and respect for what has been agreed upon, including international treaties agreements and International Law as a whole.
Compliance with international law cannot be selective. Actions that imply an irredentist attitude and undermine, rather than strengthen, good neighbourly relations and the European perspective are not acceptable and do not contribute to the path towards the European family.
My Austrian counterpart and I also discussed the significant challenges arising from the migration and refugee issue. Our views converge on the need to safeguard our borders, the European borders, but also to establish new legal migration routes in order to have a controlled mobility of populations.
Dear Alexander,
there is always scope for improving our good economic and trade cooperation. I am confident that the direct electrical interconnection between Greece, Austria and Germany, the "Green Aegean Interconnector", will have multiplier benefits for Greece and Austria, but also for the overall energy security of Europe.
It is certainly a great pleasure for us to be one of the most popular tourist destinations for Austrian citizens over the years, and we welcome them. Of course, we also encourage the reverse path of Greeks, who travel to Austria to witness the country's beauty.
Furthermore, our cooperation also takes place within the framework of multilateral diplomacy, which is of particular significance to us, as well as to Austria. We look forward to enhancing our collaboration in the context of Greece's participation as a non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2025-2026. We particularly thank Austria for its support.
Minister,
I would like to conclude my thoughts by highlighting just a few of the many aspects that connect us in the fields of culture and education. I am aware of your particular sensitivity to cultural matters.
The active Greek Diaspora in Austria, the esteemed Austrian Archaeological Institute which has been operating in Greece since 1898, and the departments of Classical, Ancient, Byzantine, and Modern Greek Studies at Austria's prestigious universities are tangible examples of the solid foundation of cooperation between our countries, upon which even more initiatives can be built.
Just as the Austrian people are historically endowed for the "fine arts", as mentioned in the national anthem of Austria, so too does Greece take pride in its ancient and modern culture.
In this context, we continually reiterate Greece's universal demand for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures to their home in Athens.
Dear Alexander,
190 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Austria and Greece and 209 years since Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greece's first governor, founded the Philomuse Society of Vienna, we continue to nurture our bilateral relations with the same zeal and an even greater perspective.
I would particularly like to commend your personal contribution to all matters concerning the future of Europe. You are a man of distinctive experience and knowledge, endowed with high emotional intelligence, who consistently works to bridge differences and forge essential European consensus.
With these thoughts, I warmly welcome you again to Athens and wish you a pleasant stay.
JOURNALIST: A question regarding migration and Türkiye.
G. GERAPETRITIS: First of all, I would like to point out that, according to current practices and due to improved Greek-Turkish relations, the flow of irregular migrants has decreased.
Thus, objective data does not record or confirm the increase you referred to.
I must say, it is quite the opposite. Owing to good cooperation between Greek and Turkish authorities, we have recently recorded many cases of smuggler arrests.
In the case of irregular migration, we must target the root of the evil, which is those who exploit human suffering for profit. Thanks to this good cooperation, we have developed essential channels to strike at the root of this issue.
You referred to returns. Indeed, there is no significant number of returns. We are working towards that direction and hope that we can have a higher number in the future. For now, we maintain cooperation. We recognize that migration is a very important issue.
I would like to emphasize that Greece faces pressures not only from Türkiye but also from the Middle East and North Africa, especially from the region of Libya. So, it is a combined issue. There is not just one migration route, and for this reason, the Hellenic Coast Guard, always respecting the rules of International Law, ensures the lawful surveillance of Greek borders, which are also European borders.
There are very specific rules that govern population movements. Greece is very strict with these rules. We are in constant cooperation with the Austrian authorities and always available to provide the necessary help to manage a major problem. However, it is essential for all involved to recognize the importance of addressing the root causes of population mobility.
If one looks at what is happening today in Sub-Saharan Africa, where countries face major humanitarian crises, forced population movements, and famine, we realize that in the future we may indeed see a significant increase in migration flows.
For this reason, I place great importance on the full, timely implementation of the Migration and Asylum Pact, which was completed during the previous term of the European institutions. The next European bodies, as well as the member states, must ensure their full implementation.
JOURNALIST: A question regarding developments in the Western Balkans.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Answering this question would require hours of analysis, as you might imagine. Allow me to leave part of the answer for my dear and wise friend, Alexander, to respond. From our side, I will say the following.
Greece has been and will remain committed to the fundamental principle that the Western Balkans belong to the European family. We will make every effort to ensure this is achieved. Although it has been 21 years since the Thessaloniki Agenda first established this necessary perspective for the Western Balkans towards the European family, the admitted truth is that significant progress has not been made, despite the efforts we all, and particularly the esteemed Minister, have put in.
I would like to say that it is Greece’s desire, and it is our common wish with Austria to see the required conditions fulfilled in the future, so that these states can join the European family. It will be to the benefit of stability and prosperity in the Balkans, but also to the benefit of Europe itself.
Certainly, we all understand that this course must be linked with the fulfillment of clear obligations set for the member states.
I specifically referred to three requirements: the full implementation of European acquis, adherence to the principles of democracy and the rule of law, and the faithful and unconditional implementation of international agreements and International Law in general.
Unfortunately, we have observed clear violations by the political and state leadership of North Macedonia concerning the Prespa Agreement, particularly regarding the chapter on the country's name. It is stipulated, without any deviation or possibility of modification, that the name be North Macedonia erga omnes - both domestically and internationally. There is absolutely no ambiguity regarding this issue. An individual holding an institutional role must not refer to any name other than the one stipulated in the agreements during public appearances.
Regarding Albania, we are all aware of the situation. Greece has taken a timely stance on the detention of the elected mayor, Fredi Beleri. We expect Albania to take the appropriate action: to respect European Law, which mandates the elected representative in the European Parliament to assume his duties and participate fully.
In this regard, I would like to express the Foreign Ministry’s reservations regarding the integrity of the census conducted in Albania. The preliminary results have revealed serious issues related to the census process, casting doubt on the results themselves. Members of the Greek National Minority have already reported and raised concerns on these issues. There are issues related to the way this census was conducted.
Respect for data accuracy is undoubtedly a prerequisite for the European course of any country. We, therefore, demand strict adherence to these rules from all countries.
July 3, 2024