Serious questions have been raised by the intergovernmental agreement, according to which German police officers will be placed in major Greek airports to check travelers bound for Germany. The implementation of the decisions of the Lisbon Treaty and the Dublin should logically be performed by Greek civil servants and not by “imported” police officers, even if they do not carry weapons and their duty is “advisory” and in close cooperation with Greek authorities.
All these come to light after the decision to place an officer from the German police at the airport of Heralkio, Crete, “Nikos Kazantzakis“. The assignment will start to tomorrow, April 3rd 2013.
The “German service” will last until September 30th 2013, when the tourist season ends.
Posts by other German police officers will be occupied also at airport “Eleftherios Venizelos “in Athens and ” Macedonia” in Thessaloniki.
Undercover at Greek airports
According to the text of the order which was sent a few days ago to Heraklio police, German officer (not mentioned degree) will have an advisory role, but not operational tasks. He will not wear a uniform, neither he will carry a gun.
In particular, the officer is expected to be familiar with the Greek language and within his duties include assistance to department staff of the airport and control of false travel documents upon request.
The officer will also be able to collect data and make them available to the Greek police if needed.
According to local media, Heraklio police headquarters had responded negative to the assignment but police at the airport had given the green light.
It is expected that the German officer will have an office at the Airport.
However, the majority of the Cretan media, say that this assignment initiates a great debate because of the timing and the atmosphere in the European South towards the Germans and their role in Europe’s recession.
The fact that the officer will be placed at a point that million of visitors cross every summer raises about whether indeed the powers will be that limited. (via Zougla.gr)
I remember very well the German plans to send tax collectors in Greece. That was very difficult, it seems. Sending German police officers looks easier. One more German invasion in the country is that German municipalities will establish their own offices here in Greece. Of course, “for consultations and advices purposes only” – as I read recently. I suppose, a Fuchtel-plan…
Slowly but gradually and almost unnoticed German civil servants will take over Greece.
PS So glad, Greece offers job opportunities to Germans 🙂
We in Greece need all the help we can get especially in terms of policing.
*sigh*
Not really a big deal you know guys. The USA already has US Custom agents in uniform in 14 airports around the world that check all passengers prior to them getting on board aircraft to the USA, and these are armed and uniformed.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120614/us-customs-expanding-airport-presence-foreign-co
Actually, it is a big deal. They, both Americans and Germans, have no business in another country, definitely not armed. I was, on a number of occasion confronted with hordes of American soldiers on Shannon airport, either on their way to, or back from Iraq/Afghanistan, or where ever they were playing their war games. It is a very offensive, unnerving sight. and they knew it, so the attitude was twice as bad as it would otherwise be, and that’s bad enough as it is.
Maybe the hordes (sic) of American soldiers thought the same thing about you? I have seen them too in Shannon airport as well and they were very polite, respectful and spending money like it was going out of style and thus helping our ecomomy in Irleand. They are most welcome, and also I would imagine that they had the same right as you to be in that airport don’t you think?
Not in uniform, on active duty, they don’t no. Especially not as Ireland is, officially at least, a “Neutral” country…
So, should not the US and it’s allies fight terrorists? So, you would prefer to see Al Queda strolling through the airports? Some people I just don’t get. Freedom is not free buddy! Without the efforts of American soldiers and for that matter many countries soldiers, we would be living in a world of chaos.
Thank God the Irish authorities do not agree with you on this matter!
Freedom is indeed not free. Freedom is however a coin with 2 faces and does not come branded with any particular flavour, backed up by the marketing efforts of a military machine.
Ireland and the USA are not allies. Ireland is, as stated it its constitution, a neutral state, not a member of any military block and not aligned to any military power. The only reason the Irish government allows this is because it does indeed bring in a lot of revenue through landing rights, refueling etc. But when the government of any nation sells out its very own constitution in the name of “extra revenue”, then serious questions do indeed need asking.
WOULD BE? You might want to come out of hibernation and have a little look around my friend. The world IS in chaos, mainly because various power blocks around the place think it is ok to “protect their national interest” by any means, blissfully ignoring that this “national interest” might just not be in the “national interest” of others. And then it comes down to who has the biggest gun. Nothing to do with freedom.
Ever compare the US military budget against the levels of poverty amongst the American people, and what it would cost to eliviate that poverty? And then, after doing that, go and talk to the Amercian poor about freedom…
hey!
The German police are already there in Athens. On a flight to Munich last week I heard a “Greek policeman” in Greek uniform talking to a German in civilian clothes, who had a badge from Airport security, in German about the “schlect” Visa in one passengers passport. to my question, since when did Greek police speak such good German, I was told it was none of my business, if I wanted to catch my plane on time, in perfect German by the way.
We are gradually becoming another “Bundestaat” !!
thank for the report David.
I wonder they didn’t respond to you with “One Germany, one border” or “Greece-Germany united” or something like that.
And they will even work for local salaries 400 euro a month I heard… LOL
LOL minimum wage for unskilled workers 🙂
I wonder, why this is on the media now. Flying out of Thessaloniki regularly, I have already seen German Border Police (in uniforms!) right behind the counter, before you board the aircraft – that was in 2010! I even posted it in a German forum.
http://www.dasgelbeforum.de.org/forum_entry.php?id=187494
Cheers
in 2012? in univform? maybe the reason was different? something more ‘urgent’? maybe because they won’t be in uniforms? do you believe it has to do with Germany’s problems with terrorism?
As I said: It was even in 2010! Terrorism? Maybe. But as I wrote in the German blog: Then, later on, at Munich Airport for example, they tried to identify people of Non-EU-Origin. They asked them about return tickets. So I rather had the impression, it was about illegal immigrants.
And it was not a short time, this went on. I saw them at least for a year.
with uniforms is a very official issue. and checking everyone or only non-EU citizens, I understood.
WTF, Greece??!!!!!
This is just WRONG on soooo manyyyy levels….
WAKE UP!!!!!!
Is this an April Fools joke?
Airport Liaison officers are very common everywhere.
Why not employ Greek policemen in German airports. As a joint learning venture.
That should not be too difficult.