Galery

1

The proposal of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Bert Kunders to create a "mini-Schengen" has aroused the spirits in Europe that is very sensitive to such topics. The idea suggests separating Austria, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands from the rest of the European Union countries and creating transit camps for migrants outside these boundaries. This plan came as a response to the attacks in Paris and the huge influx of migrants and refugees. To understand how GRReporter readers perceive this proposal, we asked, "What do you think of the idea of ​​a mini-Schengen?"

Readers of GRReporter's Bulgarian page express a clearly distinguished position. 46% of respondents state that Germany alone has torpedoed the Schengen agreement by urging the reception of hundreds of thousands of refugees. With 22%, ranking second is the group of readers who are of the opinion that Greece fully deserves to leave the Schengen zone as it has unilaterally violated the agreement and opened its borders to refugees. According to 14% of respondents, bringing into action the plan of a mini Schengen would be the beginning of the end of the European Union. 9% of readers believe that the borders have been hastily abolished and imposing restrictions would be logical, in view of the recent events. About 8% of our readers consider such a move normal, having in mind the Muslim invasion in Europe.

The voting on the English page of our site is much scattered. 30% respondents in the poll predict that this is the beginning of the end of the European Union. 25% are of the opinion that Germany is personally responsible for the refugee crisis, having invited hundreds of thousands of refugees on its territory, thus destroying the Schengen area. 23% of readers believe that Greece deserves to be excluded from the Schengen Agreement because of the unilateral opening of its borders to refugees. The option that ranks next to the last in popularity collects 18% of readers' votes and according to it, the abolition of European borders was a hasty move and the establishment of a mini Schengen is an attempt to impose some restrictions. 5% of readers perceive such a move as absolutely normal, in view of the Muslim wave that has swept Europe and that they consider an invasion.

The Greek page of the website has two most popular options among readers, which collect 33% each. The first is that Germany alone has torpedoed the Schengen Agreement and the second considers the proposal for a mini Schengen the beginning of the end of the European Union. 22% goes for the option that Greece deserves to be excluded from the Schengen area, since it has unilaterally opened its borders to refugees. 11% perceive the abolition of borders within the European Union as a hasty decision, considering logical the re-imposition of some restrictions. The most significant is the last option which is the preference of no Greek reader, namely the statement that such measures are normal, in view of the Muslim invasion in Europe. We cannot but recall that Greece is not only an external border of the European Union but also one of the countries to which the refugee and migrant influx is very high. Moreover, the country is in an extremely difficult financial condition. These facts are emphasized because, against this background, the Greek coast guard service every day rescues drowning refugees near the Greek islands and civil and non-profit organizations help them with clothing and essentials.

Greeks’ humane attitude to refugees is part of our latest poll that seeks your opinion, searching for Greece’s person of the year. Tell us who deserves this title the most and why.