{"id":6542,"date":"2020-03-06T12:37:48","date_gmt":"2020-03-06T10:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/twistislamophobia.org\/en\/?p=6542"},"modified":"2020-03-09T09:55:52","modified_gmt":"2020-03-09T07:55:52","slug":"urgent-need-to-relocate-refugees-from-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twistislamophobia.org\/en\/2020\/03\/06\/urgent-need-to-relocate-refugees-from-greece\/","title":{"rendered":"Urgent need to relocate refugees from Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"

The large number of asylum seekers currently trying to cross the EU\u2019s external border from Turkey is making it ever more urgent to relocate people from overcrowded camps in Greece and ensure better European responsibility sharing, argues the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Greece is already hosting 115,000 refugees and migrants. The reception system is stretched beyond its limits and many people are living in precarious conditions in overcrowded camps in the Greek islands.<\/p>\n

\u201cEurope needs to take responsibility for what is happening now at its external borders. It cannot suspend people\u2019s right to seek asylum.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The EU has so far promised support for border management, additional funding and some humanitarian supplies, but has avoided the most urgent issue: support to Greece through the relocation of asylum seekers to other member states.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe situation in Greece cannot be solved merely with more money, technical expertise and equipment. There is an urgent need for European countries to take their share of responsibility by relocating some of the asylum seekers,\u201d said NRC\u2019s Europe Director Edouard Rodier.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Christopher Jahn\/IFRC<\/p><\/div>\n

Between 2016 and 2018, EU member states relocated more than 30,000 asylum seekers from Greece and Italy. To wait for all countries in the European Union to agree on a new relocation mechanism or a better system for responsibility sharing has proved to be a lengthy and so far unsuccessful process. Continued opposition to responsibility sharing by a few countries should not prevent others from taking action to assist Greece. France, Portugal and Finland have already said they will help relocate a number of asylum seekers.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrance, Portugal and Finland have now taken some very welcome first initiatives, proving that the deadlock in the EU cannot be used as an excuse for the current inaction by many European states.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cFrance, Portugal and Finland have now taken some very welcome first initiatives, proving that the deadlock in the EU cannot be used as an excuse for the current inaction by many European states,\u201d Rodier added.<\/p>\n

The Norwegian Refugee Council is also calling for the EU to make sure that any measures taken to handle the situation at EU\u2019s external borders do not increase the suffering of vulnerable people, and that they comply with international laws, including the Refugee Convention.<\/p>\n

\u201cEurope needs to take responsibility for what is happening now at its external borders. It cannot suspend people\u2019s right to seek asylum,\u201d said Rodier.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Rasande Tyskar<\/p><\/div>\n

Facts:<\/h3>\n