The city council on the island of Kos decided to have the people have a saying on whether they want to allow the establishment of a Refugees’ and Migrants’ registration center (Hot Spot).
According to local media Aegeannews.gr, the majority of city counselors voted in favor of the mayor’s proposal to hold a referendum over the Hot Spot that has forced lots of the island residents to the streets and clashes with police.
The Referendum is apparently the solution to diffuse the tensed atmosphere on the island in the Eastern Aegean sea that attracts million of tourists every year.
The mayor of Kos, Giorgos Kyritsis (PASOK), said on Monday that the municipality of Kos and the majority of city council have clearly opposed the establishment of the Hot Spot. “We proposed [to the government] 10 different areas for the hot spot but they were rejected as being on crag or too small. Apparently they want large plots so that they accommodate thousands of people, ” Kyritsis said and claimed that there was a ‘modification’ in the hot spot operation and that this modification would allow the center’s head to allow migrants’ stay in the center for up to 25 days.
According to the government, refugees and migrants would be allowed to stay in the registration center for 24 hours, then move on to the mainland and from there to the northern borders of Greece and Europe.
Last night, Kyristis was live on a discussion program of private STAR TV. He talked for quite a long time defending his opposition to the Hot Spot and to tell you the truth, I did not understand any other of his arguments except ” We do not want refugees here.”
Among others, he seemed to defend a position like: the moment refugees and migrants arrive in Kos, they should immediately leave. He could not specify “to where.”
What was interesting was that the mayors of other islands like Samos and Lesvos, the island that receives the majority of refugees arrivals, had no objections.
Details on the referendum are not known yet, the municipality has reportedly already initiated the process. However: the Kos municipality will have to ask the permission of the central government in order to hold the Referendum. The central government is under pressure to proceed with 5 Hot Spots and 2 relocation camps and have concluded their establishment by February 15th 2016.
PS “Power to the people, right on!” said John Lennon, but I see no Referendum on the island….
Well, we all know, what a referendum is worth in Greece. Oxi means: Nothing. Ask Alexis
“Among others, he seemed to defend a position like: the moment refugees and migrants arrive in Kos, they should immediately leave. He could not specify “to where.””
Im always for asking the people and itd be interesting to see where the majority of Kos citizens(is that like Kosians?) stand on the issue. If however the attitude above prevails, well it should be made clear that noone will be allowed to mainland without registration.
“Kyritsis said and claimed that there was a ‘modification’ in the hot spot operation and that this modification would allow the center’s head to allow migrants’ stay in the center for up to 25 days.”
So them staying 25 days would already be the catastrophe? Bonkers, most of those people are here to stay in europe for good and for him 1-25 days are too long? And that guy has the nerve to call himself a social democrat?
This mayor has been a pain in the ass since the crisis started. He is clearly a racist, and has done nothing to help either the people of Kos or the refugees. He has no strategy — just blocking everything that other people try to do. He reminds me of the worst elements of old Greece.