Government should resign over the shame of Moria

By Vasilis Kanellis

Yet another report in the foreign press has focused on the shame of Moria, where refugees and migrants seeking shelter and a better life are pent up in wretched conditions. It speaks of sexual abuse that includes children as young as five years of age. It speaks of unchecked violence and the living conditions of a hell hole.

It is not just Moria. At all refugee and migrant reception centers delinquency has reached new highs. Gangs operate unhindered, jihadists stroll freely, and illegal cafes serve all kinds of drugs. Rapes of women and suicide attempts by children are happening in Greece, the host country that has 60,000-70,000 migrants on its territory, and has received 1.6bn euros to manage refugee flows.

Essentially we are speaking of a refugee-humanitarian crisis without migrants, in comparison to the burden that has been shouldered by some other countries, in a country that does not have an extreme right-wing government.
The prime minister is neither Salvini nor Orban, but Alexis Tsipras, the erstwhile candidate for the EU presidency with the European Left party.

We have a left-wing government which at least in word is sensitive about this critical issue.

Yet, all this takes place in contemporary Greece and nobody resigns, except for one: The director of the ministry of migration policy, the lieutenant-general who revealed the prevailing chaos and dropped barbs about squandering EU funds.

No one is resigning from a government which when still in the opposition had taken to the streets to denounce the Amygdaleza “hell hole”. Compared to Moria, Amygdaleza seems like a playground and the broken air conditioners were a minor nuisance compared to the crimes committed at the refugee camps.

Yet, the competent minister has limited himself to observations. He concedes that the situation is difficult, and nothing more is done. When the situation attracts publicity they transfer 100-200 refugees. Television channels report on it for two or three days, and then nothing.

If you use the term illegal alien a government cadre will lunge to devour you. That is justly so, because there are no contraband people. Their priorities are confused. Instead of offering an accounting for the 1.6bn euros that they received, instead of apologising for the disgraceful images, instead of apologising for their administrative incompetence, instead of apologising for their false humanitarianism, they are annoyed when once speaks of illegal migrants.

One could say that they are illegally governing, and even more importantly they are unable to confront the problem, and they lack the courage to resign. Resign Mr. Vitsas. You would serve as an example and stir the stagnant waters.