Athens: Following the mass drowning of migrants, a right-wing Greek parliamentarian was expelled from the party of former prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is running for re-election next weekend.

The sinking of a boat carrying migrants overnight on Tuesday claimed the lives of at least 78 people, and the Greek coastguard was still looking for survivors.
The likelihood of finding survivors is decreasing "by the minute," according to officials. 104 people have been pulled from the boat that the coast guard says was carrying "hundreds" of migrants so far.

Spilios Kriketos, a lawmaker from Mitsotakis' New Democracy (ND) party, stated in an interview posted on the Kontra YouTube channel on Thursday that Greece "cannot tolerate more migrants" despite condemning the "tragic" loss of life, including "children".

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Spilios Kriketos' opinions "have no place in our party," the party declared in a statement.

"Statements of hate and racism are not consistent with the party's values."
Following Mitsotakis' first-place finish in the polls in May, which nonetheless left him without a clear parliamentary majority, Kriketos is running in the legislative elections on June 25.

On Friday, Syriza—the main left-wing opposition party—called the comments "racist" and demanded that the ND expel Kriketos.

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The former conservative Mitsotakis administration, which is credited with winning the May 25 elections and serving a four-year term in office from 2019 to 2023, has a strict immigration policy and places a strong emphasis on "security" and border lockdowns.

Greece has been charged with "illegal" migrant expulsions in the Aegean Sea by Greek media and NGOs, a claim that the previous administration rejected.

"New Democracy implemented a strict but fair immigration policy, keeping borders but protecting human life and saving thousands of people who were in danger at sea," the party claimed.

In recent days, relatives of migrants aboard the tragic ship have begun to arrive in Greece in an effort to learn what became of their loved ones.
At the Migration Ministry in a southern Athens suburb, a division for locating disaster victims has been established.

A ministry statement on Friday stated that it would receive the relatives of the victims and conduct DNA tests.

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English, Arabic, Pashto, and Urdu-speaking interpreters will be on hand at the unit every day, it was added. At least 125 Syrians, according to relatives and activists, were on board the migrant ship that capsized off the coast of Greece.

According to officials, the migrants travelled from Libya to Italy. Most of the survivors are from Pakistan, Syria, and Egypt. The United Nations has demanded thorough inquiries into the sinking of the migrant boat as well as quick action to avert further tragedies.