ATHENS, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Greece welcomed the European Union's (EU) New Pact on Migration and Asylum, feeling "vindicated" after many years of persistent calls for stronger solidarity within the EU, Greek national news agency AMNA reported on Thursday.

A key conclusion was the creation, for the first time, of a mandatory mechanism of solidarity, it quoted Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis as saying.

The Council of the EU and the European Parliament on Wednesday reached a provisional agreement that will thoroughly reform the bloc's asylum and migration policy, breaking years of deadlock on the issue. The new regulations aim to increase the effectiveness of the asylum system and enhance solidarity between EU member states by lightening the load for those dealing with the highest numbers of migrant arrivals.

"Greece can feel vindicated like the rest of the member states in the front line, from the conclusion of the negotiations, as several of its aims were reflected in the agreement's text," Dimitris Kairidis said.

Since the start of the refugee migration crisis in 2015, more than a million people have reached Greece, most of whom continued the journey to other European countries. Greece and other southern European countries have been urging for a more proportionate distribution of the burden among EU member-states.

The EU will now have "a more complete legal framework, to be able to face the great challenges generated by the migration pressure our continent is facing," the Greek official said. Enditem

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