Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis on Wednesday raised the prospect of a migrant reception center being created in the capital in a bid to set the example for other municipalities to contribute toward solving Greece’s burgeoning problem with illegal immigration. “Athens must set the example so that other municipalities realize that this is a problem that concerns us all and that unless the guarding of our borders is improved and immigration centers operate, with full respect for human decency, the immigration problem will not be solved,” Kaminis told Skai radio.
The mayor said that he was open to such a project, providing that Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias can allocate an appropriate spot.
Only two other municipalities, both in northern Greece, have agreed to accommodate migrant reception centers so far — Deskati in Grevena, and Konitsa in Ioannina.
But local authorities have set two conditions — that the exact specifications of the proposed centers be determined in advance and that the facilities lead to the creation of jobs for the local community.
Municipal officials in other Attica municipalities are reportedly open to the creation of centers in their areas, particularly those with large populations of migrants.
Source: ANSA
03.08.2012
