OREANDA-NEWS "The migration crisis is a long-term process and there is no short-term or simple solution to it. We must be ready to contribute long-term to the projects that need to be undertaken to solve the crisis“, said President Kaljulaid at the second work session of the meeting of the Arraiolos Group, which was dedicated to security in the Mediterranean region and migration issues.

President Kaljulaid thanked Malta for its commitment and contribution to solving the migration issues during its presidency, adding that migration is also one of the priorities for Estonia’s Presidency.

"We want to reach agreement on asylum and migration policies, including effective control over the external borders of the European Union. What's most important is to offer solutions for young people in countries of origin of migration to give them better options for self-realisation at home,” added the Estonian Head of State. The President of the Republic acknowledged Greece and Italy for their efficient work in decreasing migration pressure in the Mediterranean region.

Today is the second day of the thirteenth meeting of the Arraiolos Group and the participants focused on security and migration issues in the Mediterranean region. The Estonia Head of state also had three bilateral meetings in Malta: with the Head of State of Greece, Prokopis Pavlopoulus, the Head of State of Austria, Alexander van der Bellen, and the Head of State of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

The Arraiolos Group represents a series of unofficial meetings launched in 2003 and participated in by the heads of states of countries that do not attend the sessions of the Council of the European Union, according to the constitution of their respective countries. The first meeting was organised by the President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio, in Portugal, in the city of Arraiolos. Estonia was invited to participate in the meetings in 2011. President Ilves represented Estonia at the meetings of the Arraiolos Group in 2013, 2014 and 2015. This year, at the invitation of the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, the heads of state of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Estonia, Bulgaria, Austria and Germany will attend the Arraiolos meeting.