We had to reach the point where we are threatened with expulsion from the Schengen Treaty zone for the government to decide to implement the measures requested by the Europeans to manage the refugees at the borders. Aside from the huge problems that it caused, this delay was based on incredible nonsense regarding border control. For decades Greece demanded that its borders be recognized as European borders so that they are consequently protected as such. However, now that Frontex – a European force – asked to contribute in border control, with all that entails, we are being difficult.
Nobody doubts that managing the refugee crisis goes beyond our managerial and financial means. The tragedies taking place in Idomeni for the past few weeks and everything that preceded on the islands indicate the severity of the problem and the extent of our abilities.
Some in the government believe that by leaving the flow towards the borders without any control the problem would be passed on to Europe. Now we re are experiencing the side-effects of this tactics, with out country being dragged through the mud and being threatened with an expulsion from the Schengen Treaty zone. Indicative of the tragic political and administrative inefficiencies is our inability after all these months to organize the infamous hotspots which will help determine who can claim to be refugee.
Being that the problem will continue for some time, it is high time that the government officers realized that they cannot address the situation with improvisations and tricks, and that we are causing further problems to our relations with Europe, as if we didn’t have enough already. We are paying enough as it is, we do not need any more problems…
TO VIMA
