Reported from the source

Quick summary: An Irish journalist’s BBC article revisits Europe’s 2015 migration crisis, highlighting ongoing challenges and concerns about future influxes. A hotelier on the Greek island of Lesbos, a key entry point in 2015, expresses worry about a potential new crisis. The report details varied European responses, from Germany’s initial open-door policy to Hungary’s strict border controls, which face EU fines. It also covers the significant human cost, with over 32,000 deaths in the last decade, and the paradox of restricting asylum while needing migrant labor. The article concludes by presenting demographic warnings from Elon Musk regarding declining birth rates in Europe, particularly Greece, and Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov’s politically charged claims of ‘reverse colonization’ in the UK due to migration.

Irish journalist Fergal Patrick Kin, in an article for the BBC, examines Europe’s ongoing migration crisis, recalling the overwhelming influx of over a million people in 2015 from conflict zones like Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Paris Laoumis, a 50-year-old hotelier on the Greek island of Lesbos, vividly remembers the arrival of small boats in August 2015 and expresses current fears of another crisis. He cites warnings from his country’s migration minister about a potential ‘invasion’ from countries such as Sudan, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Yemen. Kin, who witnessed the 2015 arrivals on Lesbos, met Laoumis as he helped exhausted asylum seekers. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel famously declared ‘Wir schaffen das’ (We can do this) in August 2015, interpreted by many as an open welcome to asylum seekers. However, this optimism quickly faded, leading to border controls within two weeks. A decade later, migration remains a major political issue across Europe. While arrivals dramatically decreased after 2015, with UNHCR data showing over a million entries that year, an average of 200,000 people still enter Europe annually. By September, a total of 96,200 migrants were recorded. European nations have adopted diverse approaches. Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, maintains one of the strictest migration policies, immediately returning those without entry permits and requiring asylum applications only in Belgrade or Kyiv. Human rights lawyer Timea Kovács states this effectively blocks legal entry into the EU via Hungary. Despite facing substantial EU fines for violating asylum obligations, Hungarian Minister for European Affairs János Bóka asserts the policy will not change, viewing the fines as a necessary cost for border protection. Austrian police report daily detections of 20 to 50 people attempting illegal entry from Hungary, indicating these measures do not fully halt migration. The EU has also made agreements with countries including Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt to prevent them from being launchpads for Europe. There are numerous documented cases of asylum seekers being pushed back at EU borders, with the European Court of Human Rights finding Greece guilty of unlawful and ‘systematic’ pushbacks to Turkey. Professor Gerasimos Tsourapas of the University of Birmingham highlights Europe’s paradox: restricting asylum and closing borders while simultaneously needing migrant labor to fill shortages and support national economies. The human cost is severe, with the United Nations reporting a ‘flood of human rights violations’ and over 32,000 people dying attempting to reach Europe in the last decade, including 1,300 dead or missing this year. On Lesbos, Kin visits graves of migrants, many marked ‘Unknown,’ a stark reminder of the desperate attempts to reach Europe. The article also delves into demographic and political debates surrounding migration. Greek media outlet Pronews shared Elon Musk’s alarm about Europe’s declining birth rates, particularly in Greece, which he claims has the lowest rate in Europe. Musk suggests that at current trends, combined with migration, Greeks could become a minority in 50 years, with foreigners already comprising 20% of the population and 30% in the 1-50 age group. He notes historically low birth rates in Switzerland, England, Scotland, Wales, Poland, Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany. In contrast, Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov focuses exclusively on migration, claiming it is drastically changing the UK through ‘reverse colonization’ without weapons or an army. He asserts that native Britons have already ‘lost their capital’ and will soon ‘lose the entire country’ due to migrants. The article notes Pushkov’s statements are politically motivated, serving as propaganda against the UK amidst the Ukraine conflict. In 2024, over 36,800 migrants arrived in the UK by boat across the Channel, a 25% increase from the previous year, with a record 45,700 in 2022. The UK government reportedly spends millions daily on asylum seeker accommodation. Despite new controls, global conflicts and economic despair ensure a continuous flow of migrants. While the number of asylum seekers detected attempting to reach Europe has decreased by 20% this year, the underlying crises driving migration are persistent.

Source: www.alo.rs