European refugee crisis: Turkey , Greece, and a plan to blackmail the European Union?
Analysis by Michael Maalouf, Staff Writer
April 11th, 2020
Since the beginning of the European refugee crisis in 2015, Refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sub Saharan Africa and other relatively poorer and more politically unstable areas of the world, began flocking into Europe in any possible way – be it by boat or land through the Western Balkan or Eastern Inland routes.
Scenes of refugees fleeing took the media by storm as colossal debates on the issue were raised in the following years of the crisis. As the European asylum system started to become less flexible with the refugees, fences started being built across EU nations and the surrounding ones, and right-wing nationalism started to rise in Europe. All of this came after overwhelming numbers of refugees created a social and economic clash. Arguably having become an economic burden that is too big to handle, particularly for the countries that are facing economic struggles in the European Union, one of which is Greece.
Greece’s territory is mostly made up of islands making the eastern European route a favored destination for refugees coming through boats, this makes it easier for them to pass towards Europe to continue their journey to countries that would grant them asylum benefits. As the years passed, Greece’s refugee population eventually grew to more than 50,000 – of which 38,000 are on mainland and 11,000 are stranded across the islands of Chios, Kos, Samos, Leros, and Lesbos; the Island which holds the largest number. With refugees entering without any restrictions, being in dire need of benefits and support, and not being permitted work rights to be able to support themselves and their families, it is safe to say that this is considered economic suicide as European countries are expected to use their Tax money to aid an increasing refugee population that is solely dependent on the income.
As the crisis began to take on a more serious face, the EU struck a deal with Turkey in March of 2016. This was an attempt to control the influx of migrants from Turkey to the Greek islands and in return the EU would provide Turkey with financial support of 6 Billion euros in support of the refugee camps in Turkey which host around 3 million refugees (2.7 million from Syria and the rest are mainly from Afghanistan and Iraq). Yet, Turkey claims that the promised EU money never came. Therefore, in late February Turkey pushed thousands of refugees onto the border in Greece with reassuring words that that the door to Europe is open. Ongoing Clashes in Evros between the Greek Police and Refugees, who were supported by the Turkish Police and Army, started to occur on a daily basis in the month of March.
Special forces from across Europe assisting Greece in stopping the aggressive influx of illegal migrants.
A very odd scene that shows the extent of political manipulation of refugees who weere unwanted by both sides which made it easier for them to push forward Greece in an aggressive manner. For the first time in years Greece cancelled asylum and started offering refugees the chance to return to their home countries. Also, several European countries showed their support through sending support to the borders, scenes that reminded many of the historic wars that occurred between Turkey and its European Neighbors. As the clashes were occurring support came from Austria EKO Cobra, Finnish border guard, Polish border guard, amongst other countries that also sent support in order to stop the influx of migrants in efforts and prevent the 2015 scenario from reoccurring.
Security threat of these incidents isn’t the only concern, however the threat of the COVID-19 amongst new comers entering illegally and those who are in camps is serious. All governments of the world, no matter how efficient they are, are not able to deal with the situation to the necessary extents and thes it would be difficult to in such a dire time also protect migrants. This is particularly so, seeing that migrants are for the most part already in crowded camps, which in this care are more vulnerable especially with the poor health conditions they face. Upon the spread of the virus Moria, Ristona, Lesbos, and other migrant camps in Greece had to undergo quarantine after discovering COVID-19 cases among the refugees. Yet, in Turkey videos spread by the Greek right supporters on twitter showed the Turkish border guards taking the refugee temperatures and letting them off into the Greek borders whether they are infected by the virus or not it. With the world more focused on COVID-19 itself as it has paralyzed major cities, its effect on migration in Europe is becoming blurry by the day. The most apparent thing in this issue is that it has given governments the opportunity for to impose harsher restrictions on migrants, and ‘fairly’ or ‘justifiably’ increase deportations and employ a harsher manner in dealing with the refugees.
The policies adopted by the EU in dealing with the migrant influx has proven to be unsuccessful day by day as its asylum system is proving to create more obstacles whether it was socially or economically. As the left in Europe is supporting the current way of immigration influx for humanitarian reasons, it important to examine if the experience of illegal immigration have really given these people a better chance in life. What most refugees and leftists don’t realize when crossing into Europe illegally, is that the current policies wouldn’t be flexible and easy as they might think. Most of them end up in Refugee camps in the EU and the neighboring countries, which are also struggling economically, such as Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, Northern Macedonia, and others.
As affairs in these countries become more difficult and less lubricated, asylum seekers will inevitably be inflicted with the consequences. They are being viewed as an economic and social drain by the locals. With these hard conditions, the refugees are exploited by local crime rings such as the case in Sicily, Italy where the Cosa Nostra Mafia ended up using Nigerian refugees to do its dirty work. This is case in many other countries as well. Crime rings are exploiting the vulnerable refugees whenever they can. An asylum system that is basically letting people in freely, make them dependent on benefits, and trapping them without the right to work is a formula for economic and social chaos as it creates a burden on the hosting nation and untalentedly encourages others to consider this a feasible option.
Alternatives to the crisis must be found as we can’t exist in a world where most nations citizens are seeking immigration while its open for them, as its not logical to keep a whole large part of the world in poverty and rely on a few nations for the constant support. Alternatives such as setting a more lenient legal immigration process that doesn’t create dependency and empowers refugees to be independent, supporting refugees in their own countries, prioritizing social entrepreneurship as a form of support, and assisting refugees in their own countries should be considered. There should be an eventual change to the immigration policy as it is damaging to both the refugees and hosting countries. A new perspective to immigration and the aim to create more peace around the world is highly needed in today’s world.