Greece has "every interest in working with Turkey to contain illegal flows of migrants," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Thursday, adding he is "unapologetic about defending" Greece’s borders in the face of uncontrolled migration attempts.

Greece has come under strong criticism from rights groups, migrants and some European officials over allegations that its coast guard carries out so-called pushbacks – the summary deportation of people arriving on Greek territory without allowing them to apply for asylum. Greek officials have repeatedly denied the allegations, despite considerable evidence that such practices occur.

Turkey has repeatedly condemned Greece's illegal practice of pushing back asylum-seekers, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.

The country has been one of the most popular routes for decades for smugglers to get people into the European Union, with the vast majority attempting the brief but often dangerous sea crossing to Greek islands from the nearby Turkish coast.

But Mitsotakis’ conservative government has cracked down on migration, particularly after it saw a crush of people trying to cross its northeastern land border with Turkey in March 2020, after Turkey announced its borders into the EU were open.

In recent years, hundreds of thousands have made short but perilous journeys across the Aegean in a bid to reach northern and western Europe in search of a better life.

Hundreds of people have died at sea as a number of boats carrying refugees sank or capsized. The Turkish Coast Guard Command has rescued thousands of others.

Turkey and Greece have been key transit points for migrants aiming to cross into Europe, fleeing war and persecution to start new lives. Turkey has accused Greece of large-scale pushbacks and summary deportations without migrants being given access to asylum procedures, which is a violation of international law. It also accuses the EU of turning a blind eye to this blatant abuse of human rights.

"I am unapologetic about defending our borders," Mitsotakis said.

"I can see no conflict between vigilantly defending our borders and, yes, intercepting boats at sea while at the same time behaving in a totally humanitarian manner and taking care of those people whose lives are at risk," he said.

Mitsotakis said he would be traveling to the eastern Aegean island of Samos Friday, to inaugurate a new camp built there to house asylum-seekers. The previous camp, on the fringe of the island’s main town of Vathy, was Greece’s most overcrowded refugee camp, with thousands living in a shantytown of tents and makeshift shacks built outside the perimeter. It was shut down earlier this month, with its residents moved to the new facility.

But some rights groups have described the new camp, where access is strictly controlled, as akin to a prison, with its high fences and more remote location in the hills of Samos.

Residents can still leave the camp during the day, and authorities have said they are providing buses to and from the main town several times a day. Access to the facility is through electronic key cards and fingerprints.

Mitsotakis noted the number of people arriving on Greek islands from Turkey has fallen by about 90% over the past two years and said Greece had "every interest in working with Turkey to contain illegal flows of migrants and to eradicate the smuggling networks that prey on vulnerable people."

The reduction in arrivals, he said, was "an indication that we’re actually breaking down that 'business model.'"

Turkey, however, "can do more in this direction," he said.

"I think it would be a very good indication by Turkey that they’re actually looking to improve the level of cooperation between Europe ... and Turkey on the issue of migration," he said.

The Greek prime minister also decried what he called a "lack of European solidarity" on the issue of migration. The bloc has failed to agree on a joint migration and asylum policy because "some countries simply consider this not to be their problem at all ... placing all the burden on front line states," Mitsotakis said.

"This is unfair. This is not just a question of money. Of course, we receive money from Europe to build our facilities, but we should really see more solidarity," he said.