Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-04-19-Speech-4-585-000"
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"en.20120419.23.4-585-000"2
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"Madam President, I should like to start by thanking the Commission and Commissioner Malmström in person for how she has stood by Greece over recent years. I do not want to beat about the bush. We face a problem that has taken on explosive proportions. Social peace in Greece is at risk, the public health issue has now been raised and, in addition, it is very difficult to explain to a nation that has seen its wages and pensions slashed that you need to spend money, money that is not to spare, helping ‘foreigners’.
Yes, it is Greece’s problem and clearly things were not done in the past that should have been done and, believe me, Greeks are not proud of the images coming out of Evros; but it is a serious problem for the whole of the European Union and, fortunately, we are all agreed on that today. Allow me to say, even though I am immensely grateful for the help being given to my country, that the European Union is not doing enough to bring about the real, global European immigration policy that we need. We need to be bold and I call on the Commission and the Council to initiate at once the procedure to change Dublin II and create an effective system of solidarity between the Member States to manage refugees.
We cannot avoid this, simply because the current situation serves the interests of certain Member States, at a disproportionate cost to certain other Member States, such as Greece. One thing is clear: however well Greece manages European funds, it is impossible to provide the high level of international protection that we have rightly established in the European Union, when 90% of immigrants arriving in Europe do so via Greece.
Allow me to close with the following comment: As we all know, Greece is about to hold elections. Whether we like it or not, that is the fact of the matter. The issue of illegal immigration is already being exploited by politicians, mainly from extreme parties, there is populism to spare, unfortunately, and some people are finding it easy to play on people’s concerns and justified fears. Therefore, I call on everyone to handle this issue with the necessary care and sensitivity, especially at this time."@en1
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