The situation on Lesvos is already dramatic without the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the first case on the Greek island has been confirmed. In the SR interview of the week I talked about what this means for the overcrowded refugee camp Moria. You can listen to the interview here.
Star: „Corona does not care about origin, skin color or religion“
„Corona is getting us all and our response must be to stick together.“ Video in the Star on our #LeaveNoOneBehind campaign to finally evacuate people from the slum camps. You can read the article and watch the video here.
My current assessment of the situation in Greece
Instead of talking about racist marauding gangs at the external borders, the Greek coast guard is refusing rescues, attacking rubber dinghies and putting people's lives in danger. Those who share the military rhetoric of "European shield" or an "attack on the EU" or support the Greek demand for "maximum deterrence" are giving the right-wing mob and racist violence a pass. …
Tagesspiegel: "Dead bodies are accepted here"
In the Tagesspiegel I report how the rule of law is failing on Lesbos and human rights are being broken. We urgently need humanitarian aid at the border. You can read the article here.
taz interview: "I am ashamed of Europe"
In an interview with the taz, I talk about the devastating situation of refugees in Greece and what needs to happen now to overcome the crisis. You can read the interview here.
Humanitarian crisis in Greece: Germany & Europe must offer refugees protection
Click here for the petition! A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding on the Turkish-Greek border: after Turkish President Erdoğan opened the border with Greece, thousands of refugees have set off to apply for asylum in the EU. In Greece the police are using force to prevent people from …
Question: Use of EU aid to Greece and Italy in the field of asylum
In order to be able to exercise my parliamentary control function as an MEP, I have the possibility to put questions to the EU Commission. The Commission must answer these questions. On 4 March 2020, I received answers from the Commission to the following questions: Written answer question E-004414/2019 to the Commission Subject: Questions on the use of EU aid to Greece and Italy in the field of asylum …
Request: Attack on rescue ship Alan Kurdi by Libyan militias
In order to be able to exercise my parliamentary control function as an MEP, I have the possibility to put questions to the EU Commission. On 28 February 2020, I received answers from the Commission to the following questions: Written answer question E-003535/2019 to the Commission Subject: Attack on rescue ship Alan Kurdi by Libyan militias Men fired warning shots …
Pushbacks in Spain: ECtHR gives a judgement that is far removed from reality
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that the deportation of two refugees without asylum proceedings was lawful. Hardly anyone had expected this ruling, as the Small Chamber of the ECtHR had ruled completely differently in 2017. The Grand Chamber of the ECtHR claims in the reasons for the judgment that there are legal alternatives to violent, illegal border crossing, which exist in …
Frankfurter Rundschau guest article on the situation at the EU's external border
I wrote for the Frankfurter Rundschau about the daily breach of law at the EU's external border. You can read the guest article here.