ELECTIONS IN GREECE
Sep 14th, 2007 by admin
With just three days before a snap general election in Greece, numbers suggest that Greece is facing its most uncertain future for a generation. Spiro’s Rizakos, a lawyer and spokesperson for Solidarity an NGO set up by the Orthodox Church to aid Refugees spoke on:
HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT WILL THE GREEK ELECTIONS HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY OF IMMIGRANTS IN GREECE?
I don’t think it will make a difference in any community of immigrants in Greece.
WHY IS THIS SO?
This is because I have been dealing with issues of immigration and asylum for the last five years and I am yet to see a major difference in the policy of the two major parties. Which means neither party will be using the issue of immigration for electoral votes. On the other hand, the policies of the two major parties, NEW DEMOCRACY AND PASOK are quite the same on the issues of immigration and asylum.
Unfortunately, the Greek populace is not very interested in immigration issues and human rights in general probably because the media fails to raise and address them in public.
HOW ABOUT LAOS, THEY ARE CONSIDERED TOO EXTREME AND THE PARTY’S PRESIDENT GIORGOS KARATZAFERIS HAS SAID GREECE SHOULD ACCEPT AS MANY IMMIGRANTS AS IT CAN HANDLE, ANY CHANCE OF A BACK LASH?
I don’t think the Greek people see immigration as a major threat so Laos can flout its support for these causes in order to gain votes. Besides their idea is to accept as many people as the available infrastructure can support, is in line with other European countries.
WHAT IS THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY LOOKING AT THEN?
I don’t see them gaining much from the elections. The African community as well as the communities of immigrants in Greece must be better organized so their rights are established. The communities of immigrants must make huge efforts to have their issues raised in the agenda by co-operating with Greek Non-governmental organizations that deal with these matters.
AND YOUR ADVICE TO THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AS THE ELECTIONS APPROACH?
The communities of immigrants must raise the issues that affect them with the media and ask political parties to have a clear stand on issues that concern them especially the legalization process which must be broadened to exclude violations of human rights.
