Greece’s Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas said that the European Union program for refugee relocation is hindered by some countries that show signs of racism.
Mouzalas told Reuters that the EU must not cater to countries that want to pick and choose which refugees they accept in the relocation program. The refugees are generally not allowed to select the country to which they are assigned.
Some countries, such as Slovakia and Cyprus, have expressed a preference for Christian refugees, while Hungary has said the influx of large numbers of Muslim migrants threatens Europe’s “Christian values,” according to the Reuters report.
Mouzalas said that Greece is having trouble channeling refugees to certain countries that have “racist criteria,” while refusing to name said countries.
“Views such as ‘we want 10 Christians,’ or ’75 Muslims,’ or ‘we want them tall, blonde, with blue eyes and three children,’ are insulting to the personality and freedom of refugees,” Mouzalas told Reuters. “Europe must be categorically against that.”
The Greek migration minister also said that Europe must enforce strict quotas, “otherwise it will turn into a human market and Europe hasn’t got the right to do that.”
Greece is facing a problem with Afghan migrants, as European authorities are not clear about giving them refugee status. As a result, thousands of Afghan nationals are trapped in Greece unable to move further in Europe.
“It’s absurd to think that Afghans are coming to find better work. There is a long-lasting war, you aren’t safe anywhere, that’s the reality,” Mouzalas said.
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