Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis attended a working breakfast today on the occasion of the six-month assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union by the Czech Republic, taking over from France.
In his remarks, Mr. Varvitsiotis, who is travelling to Prague to participate in tomorrow's EU General Affairs Council, referred to the Presidency’s priorities, emphasizing the EU’s need to achieve energy self-sufficiency and independence from Russia, as well as the search for multiple energy sources, with a focus on the Eastern Mediterranean region.
In addition, the Alternate Minister referred to the migration issue and its external dimension, while highlighting the lingering fear of the food crisis.
Regarding Ukraine, Mr. Varvitsiotis referred to the solidarity that EU Member States should demonstrate and the need to evaluate the sanctions imposed in order to determine whether the steps taken were appropriate.
Regarding the issue of the enlargement of the Western Balkans, the Alternate Minister expressed hope that the accession process of both Albania and North Macedonia would begin immediately, provided that their parliaments approve the French proposal for a negotiating framework for the country's accession negotiations with the EU.
Furthermore, Mr. Varvitsiotis spoke of the need for more investment, particularly in the Union’s defence and security sectors, as well as the resilience of the European family’s economy.
Lastly, responding to a question about Türkiye, the Alternate Minister cited the Bahçeli map, which depicts a large part of the Aegean and the Greek islands as Turkish and emphasized that Greece will not remain silent in the face of Turkish challenges.
Ambassadors from the Union’s 27 member states attended the event which was held at the Czech embassy.
July 14, 2022