Egyptian headache in Athens and EU

Athens has described forthcoming EU support for Egypt with a generous €7.4 billion package to manage migration as "vital" for the wider region.

The Greek government's concern about the situation in Egypt stems from two major reasons. For starters, an increase in flows to Crete of migrants who are already on Egyptian soil or who may arrive as a result of the dreadful situation in Gaza. Second, Cairo's economy is being strained by the situation in Suez and the predicted drop in tourism earnings.

Any further hardship on the Egyptian economy might shock Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's government, which has forged a strategic alliance with Greece. Not surprisingly, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be among the leaders visiting Cairo on Sunday - together with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the premiers of Italy and Belgium, Georgia Meloni and Alexander De Croo...