EU's migration commissioner in Athens for talks on migration pact, returns policy

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The European Union’s new commissioner for migration and internal affairs, Magnus Brunner, was in Athens on Thursday for policy talks with Greece, which has long been one of the major entry points into the bloc for migrants. I’m still optimistic even though I just started.” Greece, which is among several EU members seeking tougher immigration controls, has taken a hard line on migration, with the government insisting it implements a “strict but fair” policy that cracks down on illegal migration and smuggling networks. “We’re happy with the progress that has been made at the European level in terms of a rebalancing of our overall European migration policy towards the protection of the external borders, with significant emphasis on returns, but also by placing a lot of focus on legal pathways to migration.” Brunner was also meeting with Greece's ministers for migration, maritime affairs and foreign affairs, ahead of travelling to Cyprus for meetings with officials there on Friday. Brunner’s visit to Athens comes days after a landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights found that Greece illegally deported a woman back to neighboring Turkey, and described pushbacks as being systematic.