One of the main topics of concern in
the recent European Parliament elections, were the rise of populist parties
across Europe, which feed from an increasing xenophobic and Eurosceptic
sentiment among Europeans.
In an interview with Apostolos
Staikos, a journalist for Euronews Greece, who has extensively reported from
the refugee camp in Moria on the island of Lesvos, I discussed how
justified are Europe’s sentiments towards immigration.
“From 2015 until today, I have
carried out ten missions on the island of the northeast Aegean, with the first
year coming as a huge shock. Approximately, 100 refugee boats reached Lesbos
daily back then, with around 35,000 refugees living already on it. For the past
four years, Greek and European authorities have proven unable to control the
situation and to create decent conditions for refugees,” he explains.
The living standards in these camps
are appalling as Apostolos describes. “I have met desperate people, but also
seen a lot of smiling faces. Many refugees keep strong and optimistic about
their future, but some are also shocked by what they are experiencing. I met
volunteers who did their best, as well as some of them who went to Lesvos for a
week to get some selfies and drink ouzo, helpful locals as well as those who
exploited refugees and sold them orange juice for 20 euros”.
Dirt, mud and barefoot children
walking and playing in them is in common view, yet the worst sentiment comes
from the lack of hope. People feel imprisoned and fear that they will stay on
the island forever.
In the island of Samos too, the
situation is out of control. The refugee centre can accommodate 650 individuals
but today, there are approximately 4,000 migrants ‘‘living’’ there. Greece has
received significant funds, however 4 years later, the situation on the islands
remains unacceptable.
This is a crisis of an unprecedented
scale and Europe was not prepared nor united in dealing with it. “All member
states should have been obliged to accept several refugees. Currently still,
only a few countries share the burden, while others defend the ‘‘Christian
tradition of Europe,’’ Apostolos thinks.
“The closure of the Balkan route in
March 2016, was a cruel decision that trapped thousands of refugees in Greece.
At that time, I was reporting from Idomeni, at the borders with North
Macedonia. People became desperate. The EU - Turkey agreement on the issue is
also problematic. Basically, Brussels is paying Ankara in order to hold refugees,
but until when and for how long Erdogan can keep three million people in
Turkey,” he questions.
“Europe should have created safe
passages in the Mediterranean. Instead, people got drowned and the EU offered
its condolences. While Greece, Italy and Spain are the ‘‘gates to Europe’’, the refugees want to reach the countries of
northern Europe, which are economically more affluent. Yet due to the lack of
unity and coordination among EU nations, not only solutions remain far off, but
migration was on the top of the agenda for Brexit and the rise of the Far-Right
and Euro-scepticism across Europe,” Apostolos explains.
“The refugees are not a threat, nor
they come to steal our jobs and distort or destroy our culture. Naturally,
there are problems, as their integration poses a challenge. Most refugees try
to escape from war and extreme poverty. It is simply that some media and far
right parties spread fear. There are about 75,000 refugees living in Greece.
Apart from the three islands where locals protest about the situation and in
fairness, they do have a point, there isn’t really any major issues on mainland
Greece,” he adds.
“Xenophobia and racism can in no way
be justified, nor can the future of Europe be defined by these concepts. I
understand that in some countries, people are sceptical, angry and even afraid.
This is what far-right parties exploit”.
However, Apostolos believes that we
should try and distinguish the European citizens’ sensitivities on the issue of
the refugees. “A local from Samos, where refugees try to survive in appalling
conditions has every right to be angry with Greek and European authorities.
Someone who lives in the centre of Vienna and is afraid of refugees, is a
totally different story,” he says.
“Some “radical” political parties in
countries such as Austria, France, Italy or Hungary, for example, use the immigration
problem to attract voters.
Euroscepticism has become not only fashionable in a sense, but
opportunistic. Yet it is up to the citizens to realize that apart from some
catchy slogans, what exactly do they propose for the future of Europe?”
“The question is how progressive
political forces react and what do they counter-propose. We must accept that migration
is here to stay; with wars that never end, extreme poverty and climate change,
many more people will be forced to leave their countries. Closing the borders is
not an answer; how can you control sea frontiers? Besides, we have experienced
situations like these before in Europe. In the ‘50s Greeks were migrating to
Germany in order to find work. Similarly, the refugees nowadays, don’t want to
be illegal and they shouldn’t wait for years until their asylum case is
examined,” Apostolos thinks.
“I read all the time that there are
not enough workers in Germany or that locals reject certain jobs. In Greece for
instance, many don’t want to work in factories or as farmers. Refugees can fill
these positions, as they have much to offer. Europe was and will always be one
of the main destinations for migrants, since it’s arguably one of the best
places in the world to live,” he adds.
However, according to Apostolos, the
populist parties have got one thing “right”; they have increased their
influence, by claiming that refugees pose a threat. People nowadays fall for
catchy slogans and false promises for quick solutions, but it takes time to
understand and learn through experience and debate. For example, thirty years
ago Albanians were considered ‘‘invaders’’ in Greece and many Greeks treated
them almost as enemies. But by now they are fully integrated. Thus, job
opportunities and time are the best solution which can defeat hate and
suspicion.
“Ultimately, I don’t think that
migration is Europe’s number one problem but unemployment or corruption, poverty
and people who can’t pay their bills. Yet it’ s much easier for politicians to divert
the focus on migrants, instead of presenting their proposals on education,
culture or climate change,” Apostolos says.
He adds that media have put the
issue on the top of the agenda. “Strong pictures and sad stories are bread and
butter for us, that’s the truth. Therefore, the audience is familiar with the
issue and possibly quite worried. Politicians are aware of that and behave
accordingly”.
What we learn from people like
Apostolos, who have worked and experienced the refugee crisis in the front
lines, have spoken and met with people who we consider as a “threat”, is that a
different approach is needed. Populism and xenophobia are not the solutions,
nor are closed borders and Euroscepticism. They can only sooth and comfort our
fear of the new and imminent change, that comes with the arrival of the
refugees.
However, is it worth to risk what we
have built so far in our continent, just to exclude others from our living
standards and prosperity, instead of making them part of our success by giving
them a chance to contribute to it?
Apostolos and his team will return
to Samos in the future, when the new refugee camp is ready around September. He
is currently working on a story about gay refugees. They will also probably
return to Moria, as more arrivals are expected during summer.
