A news report entitled “asylum seekers flock to EU safe haven”, referring to the unregistered migration problem in Greece, was published on Monday in the euobserver.com, an independent online newspaper.
The news report underlined that “just over 300,000 asylum applicants registered in Europe last year, up from 259,000 in 2010, the EU’s statistical office, Eurostat, revealed on Friday, March 23. The vast majority registered in France, Germany and Italy. Most came from Afghanistan and Russia.”
Referring to Greece it mentioned that “fewer than 10,000 asylum seekers registered in the country, but Greece’s management of its border crossing with Turkey has caused resentment in some of the larger member states,” adding that both Germany and Austria are pressing Athens to properly secure the 180-km Evros River, the country’s land border with Turkey.
“The (Greek) border is open like a barn door.The pressure on Greece must be increased. It cannot be that a member state which does not do its homework gets away with it scot-free,” said Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner earlier this month”.
The news report stressed that “the border with Turkey is for the most part patrolled by Greek authorities with assistance from Frontex, the EU’s border agency. In February, the Greek government started building a 12.6-km-long razor wire-topped fence in the area where the river loops into Turkey”.
Around 6,000 were crossing the Greek-Turkish border every month last summer. In January, the figure dropped to 2,800 according to Frontex.
Many come from Afghanistan, trekking their way across Turkey before making their final way into Greece.
“Suffering from a severe lack of resources and manpower, the reception of asylum seekers in Greece is dire.”
The news report stressed that “every Saturday morning, large lines of around 100 asylum seekers, including women and children, stand outside Athens’ Aliens Police Directorate hoping to get registered.
Understaffed, the Greek police can only register 20 at a time, according to the United Nations refugee agency. The rest scatter only to repeat the ritual the following week.”
It is also reminded that “the EU is aiming to introduce a new common asylum system (CEAS) before the end of the year.”
In December, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said solidarity is key to Europe’s fragmented asylum seeker system. But the spat with Greece could jeopardize the CEAS project, the news report concluded.
Source: AMNA