Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a visit on Wednesday to the migrant facility in Malakassa, East Attica, where he was welcomed by Migration & Asylum Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos.
Panagiotopoulos and other officials gave a tour of the premises to the German president, focusing on the EURODAC stations of identification and security measures. Steinmeier was also briefed about the arrival and departure process for migrants, as well as the health services provided.
Speaking to the press at the conclusion of the visit, Panagiotopoulos said that Steinmeier “spoke with staff, was briefed on how this process is carried out, saw the difficult conditions that staff face here, and how complicated and difficult it is for a country like Greece to manage migration flows, as it assumed a great burden this past year and continues to assume a great burden and be under pressure. It is very important that a large country’s president came and saw this in person.”
The visit of Germany’s president lasted 40 minutes.
Steinmeier is on an official visit to Greece from October 29 to October 31 by invitation by President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and his schedule includes Thessaloniki, Athens and Crete.
