All News on Social Issues in Greece
Germany sees Schengen 'in danger' with new EU border curbs
The passport-free Schengen zone is "in danger" because of Europe's refugee crisis, Germany warned on Jan. 4 after Nordic countries announced new controls at their borders to stem a migrant influx.
"Freedom of movement is an important principle - one of the biggest achievements [in the European Union] in recent years," Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters.
Greek students are EFL champions in WUDC
The team of National Technical University of Athens was crowned champions of the English-as-foreign-language (EFL) category at the World Universities Debating Championship which was held in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Maria Roussi and Theodoros Ntounias,19, won in a finals debate about the use of photographs depicting the difficult situations that refugees face.
Tsakalotos: In the negotiations there will be victories and defeats
Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos in an interview with Kathimerini said that he is optimist that the government will overcome the obstacle of the negotiations with Greece’s lenders.
“In the negotiations there will be victories and defeats,” he said and he confirmed that the institutions are asking for additional measures for the period 2016-2018.
Drowned toddler becomes first 2016 migrant casualty in the Aegean
A drowned two-year-old boy became the first known migrant casualty of the year on Jan. 1 after the crowded dinghy he was travelling in slammed into rocks off Greece's Agathonisi island, the coastguard said.
The other 39 passengers, including a woman who had fallen overboard, were rescued after local fishermen raised the alarm.
Stournaras: Greece cannot deal with another crisis with the lenders
Bank of Greece governor Yannis Stournaras gave a warning about the risk of Greece failing to reach an agreement with its lenders regarding a set of measures while Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reiterated his government won’t yield to “unreasonable” demands for more pension cuts.
Refugees’ life jackets are transformed into peace sign
A bright orange peace sign appeared on a hillside on the Greek island of Lesvos on New Year’s Day.
The peace sign was made by gathering more than 3,000 life jackets discarded by refugees arriving on the island.
From the 'Children of recession' to the 'Children of Sur'
The Sur district of Diyarbak?r province continues to be kept under military curfew.
Security forces are trying to remove barricades, which are often "manned" by mere teenagers, from the streets. As important as it is to resolve the security problem, our questions cannot stop there.
President Pavlopoulos calls for national unity
In a New Year message to all Greeks on Thursday, President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos called for national unity, especially among democratic political forces, in order for Greece to achieve its major national goals.
Germany to increase scrutiny of Syrian asylum applicants
Germany will start holding personal hearings for asylum seekers from Syria as of Jan. 1, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman told Reuters on Dec. 31, reversing a policy of granting almost automatic refugee status for Syrians.
France calls for EU crackdown on fake Syrian passports
France has asked the European Union to improve the detection of fake Syrian passports used by people trying to get into Europe after two of the suicide bombers in the Nov. 13 Paris attacks were found carrying such passports.
Frontex Heightens Presence in Greece to Deal with Migrant Influx
The EU agency for external borders, Frontex, heightened its presence in Greece in order to support the country in dealing with the unprecedented number of migrants arriving on its islands.
This was done by launching the Poseidon Rapid Intervention on Monday, which replaces the Joint Operation Poseidon Sea with a larger number of officers and technical equipment.
Al Jazeera: Female refugees face sexual exploitation in Greece
Doha-based news agency Al Jazeera focuses on the lives of female refugees and documents their plight as they embark upon the perilous crossing from Turkey to Greece. One of the case studies is that of Samira who traveled from Ahir, Morocco, to Lesbos.
SYRIZA govt responds to German FinMin’s criticism of Greece – again! – over migrant crisis
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble didn’t miss the chance to criticize Greece on its handling of the migrant crisis in an interview with German newspaper Bild am Sonntag. Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) Spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili criticized Schaeuble for his anti-Greek stand while also stating: “Somebody should remind Mr.
Schaeuble said Greece has ignored the Dublin Regulations for years
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said that Greece has ignored the rules of the Dublin Regulation that obliges migrants to file for asylum in the first country of the European Union. Speaking to Germany’s “Bild am Sonntag” newspaper, he said Greeks should not place the blame for their problems on others but should, instead, see how they should better themselves.