(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
AFP
Athens on Thursday denied that tighter German border controls would result in "thousands" of migrants and asylum seekers being sent back to Greece.
Berlin has heightened security measures on its borders with several EU neighbours and said it could significantly increase the number of migrants who are denied entry into the country.
Greece is wary of accommodating additional asylum seekers, having seen large numbers of migrants flowing into the country over the last decade, mainly from neighbouring Turkey.
"There never was and still is no issue of mass returns," Migration Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos told state TV channel ERT.
He denied that "thousands" of migrants and refugees would be deported to Greece as a result of the new German policy.
He said EU agreements outlined "a very limited number" of people being sent back to Greece, the first point of arrival for many trying to enter the European Union's visa-free Schengen Area.
Germany earlier this month tightened border controls with five of its EU neighbours -- France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark -- to curb the flow of irregular migrants.
It had already rolled out similar measures at its borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland.
The move follows a string of deadly extremist attacks that have stoked public fears and boosted support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, but has drawn criticism from other EU countries.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser earlier this month said Berlin could "massively" increase the number of migrants being denied entry to the country at the border.
But she did not give a specific estimate of how many may be affected.
Greece's Panagiotopoulos acknowledged that Berlin is also keen to return more refugees to the country that they originally secured asylum in, such as Greece, as permitted under the bloc's immigration rules.
Neighbours Poland and Austria have been among the countries to complain about Germany's new policy, which is set to last an initial six months.
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