At the extraordinary meeting of the EU interior ministers held at two days’ notice in Brussels on Wednesday, participants agreed on assisting Greece at the external border, with nearly all Member States, including Estonia promising to contribute.
“We have repeatedly stated that Estonia is prepared to help other EU countries,” Minister of the Interior Mart Helme said at yesterday’s meeting in Brussels. “It is clear that none of us are protected from migration pressure and therefore we have to act and find solutions in unison. Be it in the form of a joint Frontex mission or in any other manner,” Helme added.
In his speech, the Minister of the Interior pointed out that Estonia is also located at the external EU border and therefore fully understands Greece. “It is important to acknowledge that any EU Member State may find itself in a similar situation and therefore we need effective long-term solutions for the protection of external borders,” Helme explained.
The interior ministers of the Member States recognised the activities of Greece so far in the protection of the external border and expressed their unanimous support to the additional contributions which Greece has requested and which are to be coordinated by the European border and coast guard agency Frontex. Estonia is ready to send 20 border guards to Greece as well as another patrol boat to complement the one already guarding the border in the region.
The next meeting of the EU interior ministers will take place in a week, on 13 March, to further discuss the protection of the external border and the situation on the Mediterranean Sea.
