"Since the new government came to power the policy in relation to border control is mixed. There is a great problem with the protection of the sea border with Turkey, resulting in a large influx of immigrants who enter illegally in Greece. According to a survey done in 2009, over 50% of irregular immigrants in Europe are in Greece," said Minister Michalis Hrisohoidis at a press conference before the start of the Congress between representatives of Mediterranean countries on the fight against international organized crime. He added that in parallel with measures, which are to be taken to protect the country's borders, the country should also be a good host, which respects the human rights of migrants.
Minister Hrisohoidis said that in order for Greece to cope with unregulated migration, it will close the exits to Europe. "Greece knows what to do and will prove that there is effective border control,” continued he. In connection with the measures the government will undertake Hrisohoidis listed that he will strengthen cooperation with FRONTEX and new posts to combat organized crime will be created.
In cooperation with FRONTEX in 2010 the number of aircrafts, ships and human resources for border protection will double. Centers with normal human conditions will be created so that immigrants without papers, who are seeking for asylum, can stay.
Few days ago in Toledo, at an informal meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers on the initiative of Hrisohoidis and his French counterpart Erin Besson, the issue of unregulated migration and the signature by Turkey of the contract for re-admission, was put on the table for discussion placed, Hrisohoidis recalled.
A new asylum applications service will be created, which will present the country's new policy on the issue of asylum. "We want all immigrants in Greece to be recorded by name, to have their registration address and fingerprints," said Minister Hrisohoidis.
He said that the dangers of organized crime related to illegal arm trade, trafficking of different substances, and women and children trafficking, are trans-border and come from Asia and Afghanistan and pass through Turkey. In this regard, Services for combating organized crime will be created, which will hire 100 officers, including economists, hackers and other professionals with the ambition to become one of the best agencies in Europe to combat people, weapon and drug trafficking, said the minister.
Operational center for the program Frontex will be created in Piraeus. In parallel, the government has closed the centers with inhumane living conditions that were for temporary stay of undocumented immigrants and to immigrants with documents, the government has allowed traveling to their homeland at any time they wish. A new law is on its way to be voted, which provokes hot debates among the Greek community regarding the rights of immigrants, who have been residing in the country for the last five years, to choose.
The UN representative of the Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mohammed Abdul Azis, who also participated at the press conference, noted that Greece is going in the right direction in the fight against organized crime, but an infrastructure must be established, so that theory can be applied in practice. According to Mr. Abdul-Azis the conference of Mediterranean countries, which already started and will continue throughout the coming days, will be useful, because it will discuss practical topics for cooperation between northern and southern countries on the shores of the Mediterranean, how they can rapidly exchange information and what other communication channels can be used.
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