Greece faces being shut off from Europe over failure to stop influx of migrants

Greece faces being shut off from the rest of Europe over its failure to control the influx of migants. The country has all but abandoned its border control obligations to its neighbours and could be sealed off, according to a draft European Union report. “Greece seriously neglected its obligations and that there are serious deficiencies in the carrying out of external border control that must be overcome,” said European Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis. Temporary restrictions between some free-travel Schengen countries could be extended for up to two years, it is suggested.

Fingerprints are not being systematically entered into the system and travel documents are not being systematically checked for the authenticity or against crucial security databases

EU report on Greek immigration controls

More than 850,000 migrants and refugees arrived in Greece last year. Another 44,000 have reached the Greek islands since the start of 2016. But the EU report, highlighting problems unearthed during inspections in November last year, gives Greece three months to clean up its act. Meanwhile, in Denmark dissident artist Ai Weiwei has closed his exhibition in protest at a controversial law allowing authorities to seize valuables from asylum-seekers. “Denmark has decided that it wants to be in the forefront of the symbolic and inhuman politics of today’s biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe and the Middle East,” said Jens Faurschou, whose humanitarian foundation was hosting his exhibition, Ruptures, in Copenhagen.

We both wish that Denmark had decided instead to be in the forefront of a respectful European solution to solve the acute humanitarian crisis

Jens Faurschou

ai weiwei