EXCLUSIVE: Greece welcomes Somali immigrants with villas on the sea (photos)

We remember that the Minister of Immigration Policy, Mr. Mitarakis, had stated a while ago, on the occasion of the case with the Somali immigrants, that “we do not want to become a gateway to Europe”. Reality, however, shows that the complete opposite is happening. According to information and photos provided by SLpress.gr, a seaside villa in Chios seems to have been granted to Somali immigrants!

Just a month ago, there was an issue about the Somalis and the way they travel through Turkey in order to enter Greece illegally. The minister in charge had stated: “There is reliable information about the deliberate gathering of migrants from Somalia by traffickers. The number of migrants on the west coast of Turkey is between 2,000 and 3,000.”

He added: “There is still evidence that Somali citizens have received health visas or student visas in Turkey, encouraged by direct or indirect methods.” Somalis, unlike other nationalities, can enter Turkey without restrictions and then cross into Greece through traffickers.

But how successful can immigration management be if even villas – of course at the expense of the owners – are granted to illegal immigrants? In an idyllic seaside location in the area of Agia Ermioni – Mega Limniona of Chios a villa has been granted to Somalis. A villa that as you will see in our exclusive photos, each of us would dream of for their vacation.

As can be seen in the photos, the illegally entering Somalis, in addition to a monthly income, have a secured home and in a privileged position and just opposite and very close to the Turkish coast, which is clearly visible in the background. According to information, former NGO officials lived in the villa in question, a fact that shows that the rent was probably undertaken by NGOs. This villa is registered on a well-known website for finding and renting accommodation.

Greece advertises for immigrants

With the ESTIA program, some owners, who do not officially belong to the tourist businesses of Chios (hotels and rooms to let) and possibly with fictitious or no contracts at all, have rented their properties to NGOs, which house immigrant asylum seekers. Obviously, this degrades the tourist character of the area. The area is located at the closest point between Chios and the Turkish coastline. The signal from Turkish mobile phone companies is crystal clear.

It is no coincidence that 70-80% of illegal immigrant arrivals take place at that point. According to information, there is a constant consultation of NGO traffickers on the opposite shores for the arrival of boats but also illegal information about the location of the Hellenic Coast Guard vessels. Some accommodation, which houses illegal immigrants, is right on the sea, so no one can rule out arriving in secret, without being noticed by anyone, with what this means for national security. One does not need to be a military expert to understand the importance for the Turkish services of the information about the movements of the Greek forces, which can be given by mobile phones by some recruited immigrants in case of crisis, or even just Greek exercises.

Providing motives for more to come!

It is now incomprehensible on the one hand for the competent Minister of Immigration Policy to accuse Turkey of deliberately promoting migrants (in this case Somalis) and then, when they arrive in the islands of the eastern Aegean, to house them in villas with a “private” beach, until their application for asylum has been considered.

Obviously, asylum seekers should be provided with some housing, but not offered houses that make their illegal entry into the Greek islands tempting. What is the international message when candidate immgrants – usually for economic reasons – receive messages from their compatriots who have arrived on the islands about such houses? Isn’t that an incentive for those who are still hesitant to travel?

And then what will happen to the tourist capital of the country on which, for better or worse, the Greek economy was built on? Is it not devalued? Contrary to what Mr. Mitarakis said that the Greek government does not want us to become a gateway for illegal immigrants to Europe, the management that takes place, especially in the islands of the eastern Aegean, acts as a strong incentive.

For anyone rushing to say that the government can do nothing if the house was rented by an NGO, which in turn gave it to Somali illegal immigrants, the answer is simple: The NGOs are doing their job, bringing in new batches of illegal immigrants, because that’s their “profession”, the issue they make their living from, and in fact a profitable living. The protection of maritime borders, as well as national security, is the responsibility of the government, which has an obligation to tighten the grip on NGOs and expel those who play such games.