Main opposition PASOK-Movement for Change leader Nikos Androulakis on Monday, expressed his intention to support Crete, which in recent weeks has been under significant pressure due to increased migration flows.
 He made this statement during a meeting at the Region of Crete, attended by Regional Governor Stavros Arnaoutakis, the President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Crete, Giorgis Marinakis, mayors from across the island, and representatives of the coast guard authorities.
Androulakis described the issue as serious, commenting that "there is no room for populism, wishful thinking, or backtracking." He reiterated that the country cannnot return to the management practices of 2015, emphasising that this crisis must be addressed with a well-structured plan. He described the amendment for the suspension of asylum processing as a “ mockery.”
Furthermore, clarifying that the majority of the migrants are from Egypt and Bangladesh, he stressed that the existing bilateral agreements with these countries could lead to the acceleration of their repatriation and the promotion of legal migration - which, as he explained, would also help address the country’s need for labour.
PASOK-KINAL leader also emphasised the government's responsibility on the diplomatic front, pointing out that Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar of eastern Libya - who had previously been portrayed by the New Democracy government as a potential ally of Greece - is now instrumentalising waves of migrants against our country.
Regarding the scenario of establishing a closed migrant facility on Crete, Androulakis stated that such an option cannot be prioritised when "we do not know whether the phenomenon will subside in a few months," suggesting that the decisions may have already been made some time ago.