NEWS

Historic center problem ‘critical’

The problems posed by a burgeoning population of destitute immigrants in the capital’s historic center have reached «crisis proportions,» Citizens’ Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis told a Cabinet meeting yesterday before appealing for better coordination between ministries and the enforcement of pacts with Turkey and the migrants’ countries of origin. Meanwhile, official figures revealed that the influx of illegal immigrants at the country’s northern borders have increased significantly, with arrests at the borders with Turkey, Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) up by 14 percent. Describing the situation in the historic center as «a deeply political problem,» Chrysochoidis told yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister George Papandreou, that the police force could not be left to restore order alone in the historic center, where destitution, drug dealing and prostitution are rife. Stressing that these scourges posed manifold risks – primarily to public health and safety but also to tourism and to the environment – Chrysochoidis said it was paramount that action be taken quickly to improve the situation. «It is absolutely vital that we move quickly on this,» the minister was quoted as saying. Chrysochoidis’s deputy, Spyros Vougias, presented Cabinet members with the findings of a report commissioned by the ministry that highlights the biggest problems in the historic center – chiefly the growing population of undocumented immigrants, drug dealing, indigency, prostitution and trade in counterfeit goods – and proposes specific solutions for tackling them. But Vougias stressed that the proposals outlined in the report cannot be acted on before the formation of a cross-ministerial coordinating committee. The creation of such a committee was mooted earlier this summer by the Citizens’ Protection Ministry but no action has been taken yet to set it up.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.