The migration crisis had negatively affected locals on the islands mostly affected, with 65% of islanders saying that they consider migrants and refugees as a threat to Greece, a survey has shown.
In a survey conducted by Kapa Research on the islands of Lesvos, Samos and Chios and thus on behalf of the regional government of the Northern Aegean Region.
Nine out of ten replied that their psychological situation and morals have been negatively affected by the issue.
Islanders reportedly see the migration as a source of big deina and even consider is as a major threat for the country.
90% responded that increased flows have adversely affected their island.
56% said no compensatory measures could improve the situation.
78% responded that the most serious problem facing Greece is the refugee-migrant issue.
94% said that the psychology and morale of the residents have been adversely affected.
70% stress that they feel very insecure.
45% think that the increased flows are due to the fact that the regime in our country quite accepts them.
The survey was conducted on a sample of 1,203 people in the North Aegean Region during Feb 11-13, 2020.
The survey conclusions were reportedly delivered by Regional governor, Costas Moutzouris, to the European Commission Vice-president, Margaritis Schinas, on Sunday.
On Monday, the government proceeds with the creation of the closed migrants and refugees centers, with the islanders up in arms with blockages and other actions aiming to prohibit the project.
These islands should not be used to place refugees into camps. They should be placed on mainland Greece where there is far better space for them. If I was an islander I’d be up in arms.
What is the Greek government thinking of ?
If the asylum-seekers are taken to the mainland, then they cannot be returned to Turkey under the 2016 EU-Turkey agreement. Effectively, any asylum-seekers removed from the islands will be given refugee status. This is the nonsense that the EU negotiated with Turkey, and signed with a non-legal agreement that cannot be enforced in law and is not in conformity with EU law anyway.
Anyone can see that the EU’s refugee policy is a disaster, and Greece is on the front line of the disaster. No Greek government has any way to solve this problem — basically, because the problem is the EU itself.