Merkel, von der Leyen, Mitsotakis discuss Lesvos asylum project

EU and Greece pushing ahead with plans for a reception and processing center on island of Lesvos.

EU leaders are pushing forward with plans to build a reception and processing center for asylum seekers on the Greek island of Lesvos where an arson fire destroyed the notorious Moria refugee camp earlier this month, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Friday.

Von der Leyen discussed the plan during a meeting in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has endorsed the proposal and said that Germany is prepared to support it. Germany also currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined the conversation by videoconference.

Von der Leyen has said the Commission on Wednesday will put forward a comprehensive plan for overhauling the EU’s migration and asylum system, with the aim of increasing the role of EU agencies and providing additional support for frontline coastal countries.

In her State of the European Union speech this week, von der Leyen said that the EU would step up its involvement with the pilot project on Lesvos, but she demanded that national leaders do the same.

“We can assist with asylum and return processes and significantly improve the conditions for the refugees,” von der Leyen said. “But I want to be clear: if we step up, then I expect all member states to step up too.”

The issue was given added urgency by the fire on Lesvos that displaced more than 12,000 refugees who had been living in miserable conditions in the Moria camp, and that drew attention to the EU’s failure to reach agreement on a new asylum system in the years since the 2015 migration crisis.

It is far from clear that EU national leaders will be able to reach agreement on the Commission’s plan, given continuing sharp divisions particularly over the question of relocating asylum seekers from frontline countries.

In a press release, the Greek government confirmed the discussion on building a new “permanent” reception center, and increasing the EU’s involvement.

“The main topic of discussion at the teleconference was the ways of business cooperation with the European Union in the new permanent structure that will be created in Lesvos,” the government said.