ASSOCIATED PRESS
“We have seen the fire spread over Moria and rage all night. The entire camp was engulfed in flames, causing a mass flight of people without direction. Scared children and shocked parents ”. The words of Marco Sandrone, project leader of Doctors Without Borders, describe the hell of Lesbos. Last night the largest refugee camp in Europe burned down, with over 12,000 people housed on this island, the natural border of immigration from the East to Europe. Thousands of people are on the run, including over 30 covid positive. But not even this tragedy inspires solidarity and real participation in the European states.
No help, while Greece declares a state of emergency. Except from Norway, which is willing to accept 50 refugees, on condition that – this is the condition set by the Oslo government – they fall within the quota of the three thousand that the Scandinavian country must accept for this year. The rest is a stammering of solidarity or silence.
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In Brussels, the immigration issue is still not the priority of this phase, focused on the European response to the economic crisis from Covid. The fire, among other things, falls on the day of the weekly meeting of the European commissioners. However, they do not delve into the issue, knowing that national governments do not grasp the urgency. “There had been other redistributions of migrants to other European countries and there were also plans for the next few months, now I don’t know if there have been other offers. It was not discussed at the college meeting ”, says European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer.
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen says she is “ready to assist Greece” and in the meantime sends the Vice President Margaritis Schinas, responsible for immigration, to the scene.
“We are currently providing immediate help with relocation support and housing creation in mainland Greece,” says European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic. “On other issues, I think it is too early now to speak out”, he adds, expressing the “closeness of the College and also its staff to people and those who work in the field”. “We are in close contact with the Greek authorities” to help “through the Civil Protection mechanism according to the needs that Athens will identify”, but, the “solidarity of the member states is essential” and the priorities are the “safety of the people involved, give help, shelter and good hygienic conditions ”to those who need it.
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I am close to those who have experienced a terrible night in #Lesbos for the fire of the camp of #Moria which housed thousands of refugees. @EU_Commission collaborates with the Greek authorities to manage the humanitarian emergency
– Paolo Gentiloni (@PaoloGentiloni) September 9, 2020
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“The images coming from the Moria camp are devastating. We must mobilize in support of women, men and children in need of shelter, immediately. This is a humanitarian emergency, Europe must show its solidarity ”, says the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli.
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