This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/the-latest-french-german-ministers-stress-cooperation/2016/02/05/edfc69ee-cc09-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_story.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The Latest: Protests in Athens over pension changes | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BERLIN — The Latest on the influx of migrants into Europe (all times local): | BERLIN — The Latest on the influx of migrants into Europe (all times local): |
| 5:45 p.m. | |
| Officers from Greece’s coast guard joined colleagues from the police and fire service in a stage demonstration in central Athens against austerity measures and a planned overhaul of the pension system. | |
| More than 2,000 officers joined the march to parliament, chanting “We are people too.” | |
| Coast guard patrol boat captain Vassilis Delibitis told the AP he and his colleagues felt left down by the government, despite their work in rescuing refugees and migrants reaching Greece’s shores from Turkey. | |
| “All the measures taken by this government should be taken back because they are leaving us in extreme uncertainty,” he said. “We feel like we are being punished.” | |
| The government says 103,000 refugees and migrants were rescued in 2015 by the Greek coast guard, roughly one-in-10 of the entire number that traveled to the European Union. | |
| ___ | |
| 4:15 p.m. | 4:15 p.m. |
| A European Union official says Greece is making “rapid progress” in overcoming delays in building screening centers for migrants and refugees on islands facing Turkey, after involving the armed forces in the effort. | A European Union official says Greece is making “rapid progress” in overcoming delays in building screening centers for migrants and refugees on islands facing Turkey, after involving the armed forces in the effort. |
| The official, who met with Greek government officials in Athens this week, asked not to be identified as he was not authorized to speak directly to the news media. He said Friday that armed forces involvement had improved preparations to build screening centers, or “hotspots,” on Greek islands and transit camps on the mainland. | The official, who met with Greek government officials in Athens this week, asked not to be identified as he was not authorized to speak directly to the news media. He said Friday that armed forces involvement had improved preparations to build screening centers, or “hotspots,” on Greek islands and transit camps on the mainland. |
| Greece is facing mounting European pressure to complete the screening centers on four islands this month, with the project already three months behind schedule. | Greece is facing mounting European pressure to complete the screening centers on four islands this month, with the project already three months behind schedule. |
| The official said that the armed forces would provide an additional 8,000 places at two new transit camps being set up near Athens and the northern city of Thessaloniki — with 3,000 of those places available this month. | The official said that the armed forces would provide an additional 8,000 places at two new transit camps being set up near Athens and the northern city of Thessaloniki — with 3,000 of those places available this month. |
| —By Derek Gatopoulos in Athens. | —By Derek Gatopoulos in Athens. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 1:05 p.m. | 1:05 p.m. |
| The interior ministers of France and Germany have stressed Europe must urgently tackle its migration crisis to safeguard the continent’s borderless Schengen area, and urged greater information-sharing among police and security services. | The interior ministers of France and Germany have stressed Europe must urgently tackle its migration crisis to safeguard the continent’s borderless Schengen area, and urged greater information-sharing among police and security services. |
| Bernard Cazeneuve and Thomas de Maiziere spoke Friday while visiting Greece, which is on the front line of Europe’s massive refugee influx. With a lengthy sea border with Turkey and thousands of kilometers of coastline, Greek islands have been the favored way for people fleeing conflict and poverty to reach Europe. | Bernard Cazeneuve and Thomas de Maiziere spoke Friday while visiting Greece, which is on the front line of Europe’s massive refugee influx. With a lengthy sea border with Turkey and thousands of kilometers of coastline, Greek islands have been the favored way for people fleeing conflict and poverty to reach Europe. |
| Cazeneuve visited Lesbos, the island that has seen the most arrivals and where one of the “hotspot” registration centers will be set up, on Thursday. | Cazeneuve visited Lesbos, the island that has seen the most arrivals and where one of the “hotspot” registration centers will be set up, on Thursday. |
| Both ministers stressed the need to reduce migration flows. De Maiziere said Germany was sending 100 police and two coast guard vessels to Greece. | Both ministers stressed the need to reduce migration flows. De Maiziere said Germany was sending 100 police and two coast guard vessels to Greece. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 12:20 p.m. | 12:20 p.m. |
| The German government says Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Ankara on Monday to meet with Turkey’s prime minister as she tries to reduce the migrant influx to Europe. | The German government says Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Ankara on Monday to meet with Turkey’s prime minister as she tries to reduce the migrant influx to Europe. |
| Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Friday Merkel and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu decided on the trip when they met at this week’s aid conference for Syria in London. | Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Friday Merkel and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu decided on the trip when they met at this week’s aid conference for Syria in London. |
| Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel’s diplomatic efforts to reduce the number of migrants coming to Germany. She has resisted pressure for unilateral measures such as a national cap on refugee numbers. | Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel’s diplomatic efforts to reduce the number of migrants coming to Germany. She has resisted pressure for unilateral measures such as a national cap on refugee numbers. |
| Turkey agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration. The European Union pledged 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to help improve the condition of refugees in Syria in return. | Turkey agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration. The European Union pledged 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to help improve the condition of refugees in Syria in return. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |