On refugees, migrants and the Dublin treaty
Greece needs a helping hand
It is all fine and good for other countries to blast Greece for their inability to process asylum seekers quickly and safely, but what people have failed to emphasize is that Greece receives nine out of the 10 refugees seeking asylum in the European Union. Greece is a small and debt-ridden country that cannot handle such a high flow of immigrants; it is no wonder and quite justified in my opinion that they are only accepting minute percentages of immigrants. What is 30 percent acceptance for other countries only works out to 0.5 percent acceptance in Greece for the sole reason that they have a much larger denominator of applicants. Other EU countries should stop criticizing and lend a helping hand. It is not fair for Greece to have to suffer the brunt of the refugee inflow.
KIKI SPIROU
Migrants at the Law School
The main problem with many Greeks is that university premises have been off limits to law authorities for many years. The universities and their property belong to the people of Greece, not just the hooligans and thugs that hide behind their walls. The immigrants that are trespassing on the property should be picked up and hauled away back to their mother countries. Charge [campaigner Petros] Yiotis with whatever crime he has committed and let him pay for the expenses of removing these people.
GEORGE ELEFTHERIOU
FLORIDA, USA
Costas Iordanidis in his article regarding the Law School states, «The result is that Greece looks like a country that is lacking in governance and has an inert state mechanism» (January 26). Hate to tell you, but it is that way. Just look around you and listen to how out of step Greece is with the rest of Europe.
ROBERT SOKOLOVE
ESHER, SURREY, UK
Dublin II Regulation treaty
The Dublin II Regulation treaty signed by the then PASOK government in 2003 works against Greece. Ninety percent of all illegal immigrants come to Greece via Turkey heading for more prosperous European Union nations. Under the terms of the agreement, the first EU country they land in must process their claims for asylum, Greece is at a geographic disadvantage.
A fairer system would be to divide all outstanding asylum claims (46,000) among all 27 EU nations. Greece has become the gatekeeper for illegal immigration and I do not think this is fair for one country alone to handle such a big problem. Greece also has a high unemployment rate and owes over 300 billion dollars. Greece is not the ideal place for illegal immigrants to go to.
GEORGE SALAMOURAS
MELBOURNE
