On 18 October, a European ecumenical delegation met with Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece in Athens.

The delegation was led by Rev. Christian Krieger, President of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), Dr Torsten Moritz, General Secretary of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) and Ms Katharina Stamm, Migration Officer of Diakonie Deutschland.
The meeting was an occasion for Rev. Krieger and Dr Moritz, both new in their respective positions, to express gratitude to Archbishop Ieronymos for the contributions made by the Church of Greece to the life of CEC and CCME.

In the meeting, impressions were shared about the difficult conditions for newly arrived asylum seekers as well as local populations on the islands of the eastern Aegean and the Greek mainland. The responsibility of the whole of Europe and in particular the EU to help alleviate these difficult conditions was underlined. Delegates also thanked Archbishop Ieronymos for the hospitality and generosity of the Greek people toward the newly arrived, and in particular the entities of the Church of Greece.

“The churches’ vision of the treatment of those arriving at the external EU borders is about ‘solidarity first’ and sharing, and where stronger shoulders carry more than the weaker ones, and where everyone contributes what they can,” said Rev. Krieger.

Ms Katharina Stamm commented, “What we have witnessed here calls into question the current regime of the Dublin convention, which leaves Greece and other countries on the EU external boarder with disproportional responsibility. We strongly believe that Europe must do more to help those arriving in Greece and those welcoming them.”

Ms Stamm also briefed Archbishop Ieronymos about the 15th European Asylum Conference, co-organised by CCME and Diakonie Deutschland in Athens from 15 to 20 October.

The delegation also included CCME Vice Moderator Efthalia Pappa and Very Rev. Archimandrite Ignatios Sotiriadis, Secretary of the Synodical Committee Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian relations of the Church of Greece and member of the CEC Governing Board.