The ministry of migration policy is planning to turn former Athens airport at Elliniko into a hospitality camp for migrants.
Deputy Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas on Monday met with members and the president of Central Union of Greek Municipalities (KEDE) Giorgos Patoulis, Mayor of Athens Giorgos Kaminis, mayors of south Attica and the mayors of Kos, Rhodes and Samos and informed them of the Greek government’s decision to turn the former Greek Airforce facilities of Elliniko airport into a hospitality center for refugees and migrants.
Further discussions with the mayors of Elliniko-Argyroupolis, Alimos, Glyfada and Palaio Faliro will take place on Tuesday since their municipalities will face the direct impact of the migrant inflow.
In the meeting it was decided to establish a committee of all parties involved to plan further actions and discuss details in tackling the migrant inflow.
Elliniko-Argyroupolis Mayor Yiannis Konstantatos is against the decision claiming the prime real estate property that is the former Athens airport should have been utilized in development projects. “At Elliniko, Greek people expect to see construction sites, bulldozers, job openings, growth, life and culture,” he said.
Glyfada Mayor Giorgos Papanikolaou said, “We are not going to make any concessions on issues of security and public health. We are asking for guarantees that there will not be any health hazards or danger to public safety in local communities. So far we didn’t have any guarantees.”
Alimos Mayor Andreas Kondylis said that the government plan was made “without asking us or informing us. We are worried about what is going to happen at Elliniko, without any discussion with our municipality.”
Palaio Faliro Mayor Dionyisis Chatzidakis was at a different wavelength saying laconically that, “I prefer to sleep with complaints instead of guilt.” He also reiterated that the migrants camping at his municipality’s taekwondo arena must be removed because there is a game scheduled for Wednesday.
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