V. Kikilias: “We Will Do Everything We Can to Protect Greeks from the Impact of the War”

The impact of the war in the Middle East, the unacceptable targeting of vessels belonging to the global oceangoing shipping fleet, and illegal migration were among the issues discussed by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, in an interview with ERT1 and journalists Dimitris Kottaridis and Nina Kassimati.

“You can see that I am concerned because, as long as the hostilities continue and there is no prospect of finding a peaceful solution or settlement, the consequences for the global economy—and, naturally, for the European economy and therefore the Greek economy as well—will become increasingly severe. These consequences include inflation, rising energy prices and increases in the prices of goods,” the Minister stated.

At the same time, he noted that the primary concern is always the safety of Greek seafarers in the region.

“Above all, we are concerned about the safety of our seafarers, followed by the safety of our fleet. As a government, we are doing everything we can to help society, and we are examining, step by step, what framework needs to be established to protect our fellow citizens,” he said.

Regarding the repatriation of Greek seafarers, he stated that no such request had been submitted so far, although an automated mechanism is in place to handle such situations.

However, as he pointed out:

“What I see is composure and professionalism. There is also considerable anxiety, as you can understand, because the days are passing and not only is there no de-escalation, but attacks on energy and oil facilities in the region are beginning to take place.

These attacks involve missiles or drones targeting non-military facilities, including hotels in neighbouring countries. People are at risk, and people have lost their lives. All of this concerns us and causes us anxiety. The longer it continues and the more prolonged it becomes, the more problems it creates.”

Illegal Migration

Regarding illegal migration, Mr Kikilias stressed that arrivals from Turkey fell by 55% in 2025 compared with 2024. He described this as “a very significant achievement of our policy and of the Hellenic Coast Guard,” adding that it also demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with the other side, with which communication channels have now been established.

He added, however, that the destabilisation of Libya has led to significant migration flows from eastern Libya to Crete, with the numbers affected by prevailing weather conditions and winds.

“We are asking the European Union to reach agreements with eastern Libya as well, so that it can support the infrastructure and facilities there in order to contain migration flows, as it has done with western Libya. This helped Italy and Malta,” the Minister said.

He emphasised:

“The Ministry of Migration and Asylum is absolutely right to proceed with the establishment of facilities in Crete. Facilities must be created in Heraklion and Chania—closed reception and detention facilities located outside tourist areas. Suitable sites have already been identified.

In our country, no one is permitted to enter unless they do so through legal channels. Therefore, anyone entering irregularly will be detained until it is determined whether they are entitled to asylum, whether they come from a war zone, or whether they must be returned to the country from which they came.

This is our policy, and the rest of Europe is gradually moving towards aligning itself with it. The open-borders policy, particularly the policy of open maritime borders, was disastrous for our country when it was implemented in 2015, and certainly for Europe as well.

Europeans have understood that we are not merely a geographical space; we are the European continent. We are countries with borders. We have European borders, including maritime borders, and if no one protects them—if no one is there to do their duty—then, unfortunately, societies subsequently face far greater problems relating to integration, as well as difficulties involving people who do not accept our culture, our way of life, our safety regulations or the way we raise our children, among other things.”