Will the government finally open the first detention center for illegal migrants in Amygdaleza, (north of Athens)? No one knows. The decision is apparently hanging on a thread as a result of a disagreement between the Minister of Transport and and the Minister of Citizen's Protection (Makis Voridis and Mihalis Chryssohoidis, respectively).
On Wednesday Voridis said that the containers, in which the first 1,000 illegal migrants will be housed, are under his jurisdiction and not the citizen's protection ministry, stressing that they are built within the framework of earthquake protection planning. He added that his Deputy Minister Yannis Magriotis was aware of the issue, adding that the citizen's protection ministry was allowed to use the containers for the sum of six million euros as it is made clear in a letter addressed by Magriotis to the citizen protection minister.
Voridis, who stands as a candidate in the district where Amygdaleza is located (Attica prefecture), noted that Magriotis and Citizen's Protection Minister Mihalis Chryssohoidis (both PASOK ministers) "went behind his back" on the matter in consultation with infrastructures general secretary Yannis Economidis, in order to ensure "election gains". He appeared determined not to allow the containers to be used and proceed with their removal, clarifying that the sum of 173,000 euros has been earmarked for this purpose.
Posts
