Crisis Refugees: three-member Greek family lives at Munich Airport since six months

A Greek-Bulgarian family has been living at the Munich airport in Germany for the last six months. Almost like in film The Terminal with Tom Hanks. Unlike Tom Hanks, the three-member family is allowed to leave the airport, only it has nowhere to go. Neither in Munich, nor in Thessaloniki, nor in Sofia. Hit by the economic crisis in Greece, the three moved to Germany to find a better future. A difficult task when budget is tight. So they decided to stay at the airport and use it as their basis to find work and housing in the city.

According to German Sueddeutsche Zeitung  , the three-member family consists of Greek citizen Athanasios, Bulgarian woman Albena, and her son Nikola.

Albena and Athanasios arrived at the Munich Airport around half a year ago, hoping to find better life, home and work. Five weeks ago, Albena’s son Nikola joined his mother in Munich, since his grand-mother was no longer able to support and take care of him.

 

They spend the days collecting and recycling bottles in order to raise money for food and pay the ticket for Athanasios to go to the city and look for work or visit locla authorities.

At night, they try to make themselves comfortable on the seats  in the waiting lounge.

 

“Everything seems better than the option to return home. We stand no chance in our countries,” Athanasios comments.

A year ago Athanasios’ life was completely different. He worked as DJ at the entertainment establishment of a popular radio host in Thessaloniki and even opened his own club. However, the crisis in Greece forced him to sell the club and start working as fruits and vegetables vendor. He met Albena around five years ago. She is a Bulgarian, who back then left her country and went to work in Thessaloniki.

The two are now trying their luck in Germany.

Even though they’re actually not allowed to stay at the airport, the authorities apparently look away. The family reports of a gift basket with cookies and airport meals given to them by the airport personnel. On days without gift baskets, the Greek-Bulgarian family survives on cheese sandwiches.

sources EN: focus-fen.net , thetimes