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Home arrow newsitems arrow Closing Balkan Borders saved EU from Turkey Blackmail +Stoped Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants

Closing Balkan Borders saved EU from Turkey Blackmail +Stoped Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants

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Sunday, May 19, 2019
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*Strasbourg/Angelo Maropolo/- As the Pioneer of EU's Borders' Control, embattled Prime Minister of Hungary, Victor Orban, (ChristianDemocrat), has notoriously made of this issue a Core Matter for Europe's survival, (which has also Affected UK's BREXIT, almost at the Same Time, since 2015 : See ...), while it Marks even the Links with his Recent, High-Profile Meetings with Italian Frontrunner Party Leader, and vice-Prime Minister Salvini (Lega), on May 18, as well as with US President Don Trump, on May 13, including the Future of his popular Party "Fidesz" inside the EPP, according to that Big Group's strategic orientation in the foreseable Future, after the May 26, 2019 EU Elections,

=> it is, Nowadays, High Time in order to Remind some basic Facts, about how, indeed, the Closure of the Western Balkans' Route, that Hungary incited, back on 2015/2016+, Helped Both to potentially Free Europe from a Pressing and UnPrecedented Turkish "Blackmail", (according even to the Expression used by EPP's President, the experienced Long-Time Top MEP, Joseph Daul: See ...), then, (on big Money, millions of Visas, Ankara's controversial and unpopular EU bid, etc),  as well as to put a Stop to that sudden, Huge "Tsunami" of more than +1,5 Millions of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants, trespassing inside Europe mainly through Turkish Smugglers, via EU Member Greece's National, and EU's External, UnProtected then, Borders, with some sly Complicities.

Both these 2 Important Points have been already examined and highlighted in a landmark, Original Analysis of key Facts, Published by "Eurofora" as early as since May 2016, (on a Politicaly very "Hot" Moment), in a Press Article under the Heading : "After Erdogan NO to Conditions to UnPopular EU-Turkey Deal's VISA-Free for 80 Millions Turks: USELESS", (at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/unpopulareuvisafreefor80millionsturksuseless.html).

For the 1st Point, concerning mainly the Description of that UnPecedented Turkish "Blackmail" on Europe, (Comp. Supra), it's enough to simply Refer to the relevant, Initial Parts of that Article, (as well as to several Subsequent Developments, in various Other Articles related to that issue).

But, on the 2nd Point, concerning mainly the Facts, (particularly UNHCR and/or IMO Official Data), which Prove that such a Controvesial and UnPopular EU - Turkey Deal had become, indeed, "Useless", since that Sudden Huge "Tsunami" of +1,5 Millions Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants, trespassing into Europe, through mainly Turkish Smugglers, had Just been Stoped, Thanks to the above-mentioned Closure of Western Balkans' Borders, spearheaded by Hungary, etc, (Comp. Supra), it seems, still Nowadays, still Interesting to Remind and Clarify anew those Historic Concrete Events.

=> That's why, that precise Part of the above-mentioned Article, is ReProduced herewith, in its full Original Form :

-------------------------------------------------

<< ...

----------------------------

Useless 
--------------------------------

mass_migration_influx__unhcr_and_imo_data_februaryapril_.2015_eurofora_400

(February - April 2016)


Official Data, mainly from UNHCR and IMO, clearly reveal that, Contrary to a False Impression diffused by most Establisment's Media, it's Not at all since the Entry into Force of the Controversial EU - Turkey Deal that began a Reduction of the Number of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Immigrants trespassing to EU Member Greece through the Turkish Coasts, after the 20 of March, 2016.

In Fact, it's Already long Before that, since 5 or 6 European Transit States, located at the Western Balkans' route, such as Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Hungary, Serbia and FYROM, even Albania, etc., Started to Implement real Border Controls, particularly after February 18 and mainly March 9, that a Spectacular, Sharp Reduction of Mass Migrants' Inflow appeared and developed astonishingly Fast Results, creating, for the 1st Time, a Strong Downward Trend, (See relevant Numbers cited Infra).


----------------------


Until February 23, about 100.000 Migrants from Turkey had reached Greece during the Year 2016 alone, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), i.a almost 2.000 per Day.


But, already on February 18, Police Authorities from European Countries in the Western Balkans reportedly agreed to impose Daily Quota Limits, "acceptable to Austria", preparing Restrictions of the Maximum Number of Borders' Crossings per Day, which started soon to be progressively felt, (particularly on the Greece - FYROM Border), and widely publicized, even at a Global level, (includfing, f.ex., by a critical Statement from UNO's Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, etc).


When 2 or 3 key European Countries, (as f.ex. Serbia and FYROM, etc) partly Closed their Borders at least for Afghan Migrants, back since February 21, the Number of Arrivals Started to be somewhat Reduced, and this was certainly reinforced by EU Council President Donald Tusk's Dissuasive Statement, at the Beginning of March 2016, about European Countries Ceasing to serve for "Transit", (3 of March 2016). Thus, on March 4, arrivals are estimated to Fall at about 500.


But, Shortly After  5 to 6 European Countries completely Stoped the Mass Migrants' inflow at the Balkans' route Borders, from March 9, (i.e. Weeks Before the controversial EU - Turkey Deal starts to operate), the Number of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants arriving to EU Member Greece via Turkey Droped Down to Only about  the Half of what it was before, with just an average of some 1.150 per Day in Mid-March.


=> Thus, according to UNHCR Data, already, as Early as since February, the Total Number of Arrivals in Greece Falls, from More than 67.400+ on January, Down to about 57.000. (And this is Further Reduced to almost 27.000 on March, when the EU - Turkey controversial Deal didn't have but Only less than 10 Days during which it was Just Beginning Progressively).


>>> More Important : UNHCR Official Data reveal that, in Fact, the Biggest Fall in the Numbers or Arrivals occuired BEFORE the Entry into force of that controversial EU - Turkey Deal, (obviously because of the above mentioned Border Controls earlier set up by 5 or 6 European Countries at the Western Balkan Route: Comp. Supra), and NOT AFTERWARDS !


 -  Indeed, the "Weekly Average" of Mass Asylum Seekers:Irregular Migrants' Arrivals to EU Member Greece through Turkey, Starts to Fall from an almost 3.000 High between 18-24 February, Down to about 2.000  between 25 February and March 3, continuing its Fall Down to about 1.500  between 3 and 9 March, Drasticaly Reduced into Only about 800 during 10 - 16 March, reaching even Lower, with Less than 750 during March 17 - 23, (i.e. when the Controversial EU - Turkey Deal just Starts to Enter into Force).


===> This is tantamount to a Spectacular, sharp Reduction of almsot - 4,5 Times (- 450%) Less Arrivals, just between 18-24 February and 17-23 March, i.e. in Only 1 Month, BEFORE the Entry into force of that EU-Turkey deal, when it was Exclusively the Border Controls set up by 6 European Countries at the Western Balkans' Route, which had entered into play, ( Already as Early as since February 21 and March 9 : Comp. Facts cited Supra).


Compared to that Huge Initial Reduction, the Subsequent Reduction which continues, later-on, under the Combined Effects of Both the Border Controls and the EU - Turkey Deal, the Latter appears as a kind of .. Nain, standing side by side with a Giant ! (See relevant Graphics).


=> In other words, solid and crystal-clear Facts reveal that the alleged, so-called Miraculous Effect of the Controversial EU - Turkey Deal on Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Immigrants' Arrivals' Reduction is a Myth, a False Appearance, which Misleads both EU Politicians and EU Citizens... Simply because the 1st and much more Important Reduction of the Number of Arrivals had been already obtained Before the Entry into Force of that EU-Turkey Deal, (and still Continues to operate, until Today), without Wasting 6 Billions €, Neither being Obliged to "Accelerate" the UnPopular Turkey's EU bid, Nor even to Give a "Visa-Free" status to 80 Millions of Turks, that the Majority of European People do Not want at all, (Comp. Supra).


If this Trend Continued, without any Obstruction, Diversion or Interference, logically, in pure, simple Mathematics, (even WITHOUT that Controversial and UnPopular EU-Turkey Deal) before the End of April, the Average Weekly Inflow would have Fallen Down to Less than 160, and Before the End of May, Down to Less than 35....


But, in fact, Despite the Addition of the Entry into force of EU-Turkey's Deal, (after March 20), nevertheless, the latest Figures from the International Migration Organisation (IMO), reveal, on the Contrary, an recent Opposite Trend towards an Augmentation of Migrants' inflows through Turkey to EU Member Greece, with much Higher than normaly Expected Weekly during April 24 - 30, and  May 1 - 8 : Respectively 371 and 537 .


Greece being the Only EU Country with an Augmentation of Migrants' inflow (always through Turkey) even Today, while in all other European Countries, from Spain to Italy, Bulgaria, FYROM, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, etc., on the Contrary, their inflow was Droping Down.


+ In Addition, more than 376 People were Killed while trying to cross from Turkey to EU Member Greece, through the Aegean Sea this Year (2016) until the First Week of May included, while, at the Same Time, f.ex., at the Western EU External Borders between Spain and Morocco only 5 Deaths occured....


--------


=> Isn't it Time for real Europeans to Wake Up from a Nightmare which durated Too Long, before it provokes Dangerous Harm ? 


Many Facts clearly indicate that Simpler Solutions are both Possible, Less Costly, closer to EU Principles, and more Efficient, as some EU Politicians seem to Start  realising recently.


The main Key being, naturaly, the Protection of EU's External Borders, including by the Creation of a European CoastGuard, which should be decided by EU leaders at the forthcoming, June 2016 EU Brussels' Summit.


Meanwhile, EU Parliament's Debates, ....should normally serve much more in order to Open MEPs' eyes to Real Facts, than into a pro-Turkish Lobby Attempts to Extort even more Concessions from an EU which would then Risk to Loose both its "Soul" and its Credibility, as well as its Money, for something which Facts prove to be largely Useless, Contrary to False Appearances, (Comp. UNHCR, IMO and other Data cited Supra)...

 

(../..)

 

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).

 

 

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 politkovskaya_gongadze_adali_400

Hu Jia's prize brings SAKHAROV's wife to "EuroFora" on murders of Journalists Politkofskaya, Gongadze and Adali :

- Elena Bonner : "All Journalists' murders must be fully investigated", without Double Standards.                                                                                    

During a special Mega-Event to celebrate 20 Years of SAKHAROV Prize for "Freedom of Thought", attributed in 2008 by EU Parliament to jailed Chinese Cyber-Dissident Hu JIA, the move was reinforced by strongly criticizing the persisting impunity in three cases of Journalists' Murders, such as POLITKOVSKAYA in Russia, GONGADZE in Ukraine, and ADALI in Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

Any bureaucratic doubt about whether Cyber-dissidents like Hu JIA might have, or not, a right to be protected as all Journalists must be, particularly when they take risks to search, find and publish original and critical News on issues of general interest to the society, could not resist to the emotion provoked by the message of his Wife, Zeng JINYAN spectacularly transmitted at a big screen in EU Parliament's hemicycle :

- "The most important and most interesting thing he did was to ... say the Truth :.. to write about the phenomena he observed... He never stopped Publishing.. on websites, so that the Public could learn about the reality .. and understand it.  In my view, this has been his greatest contribution", stressed the young wife of the jailed man, eager to cite also the cases of other critical journalists who faced various kinds of "harassment".

 - "Welcoming all those who have suffered for defending Human Rights", EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING, who had invited to Strasbourg all former Sakharov prize-winners from various Countries throughout the World, said that "China needs Europe, and Europe needs China : A great nation" with which "we want to have a good relationship", "association and ..friendship". "But we are never going to stop our fight for Human Rights, and No Government can expect this from us".

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of Peace, if Human Rights are left out. In fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.

    It's in this spirit that MEPs adopted, on Thursday, a Resolution denouncing that "the criminal
investigation and trial following the murder of (a) Journalist ...raises serious concerns with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law", when a "brutal killing has not yet been fully investigated and solved in a satisfactory way".

    The text refered to dissident Journalist "Anna POLITOVSKAYA", a critic of Tchechen conflict, killed some years ago in Moscow, where Russian Authorities have found, arrested and are currently judging two executants, while also searching to arrest also a 3rd one, allegedly escaped in Belgium. But they have not yet found the instigators.

     Similar texts were adopted recently also on dissident Ukranian Journalist Georgiy GONGADZE's murder, for which Ukranian Authorities have at least found, arrested and condemned 2 executants to 12 and 13 Years of jail, but not yet the instigators. For that purpose, they recently accepted an International Experts team to participate to the investigations.     

But, it's only for the Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist ADALI, in the occupied territories of Cyprus, that Turkey has NOT yet found ANYONE responsible, and even claimed recently inside CoE that it would be "impossible" to do so !    

These astonishing differences exist despite the fact that ECHR condemned alike Ukraine and Turkey with 2 Judgements on the same year : 2005, for the murders of  Journalists GONGADZE and ADALI, strong critics of Corruption in Ukraine, and of Ankara's policies on mass-influx of Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, respectively.    

Regarless of that, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who is entrusted with the duty to supervise execution of ECHR's judgements, has just asked Ukraine's Government to reply to further questions on Gongadze's murder before March 2009, while Turkey, curiously, got a longer postponement for answering questions on Adali's murder, until June...   

A comparison of these cases, raises serious questions about Double Standards :

------------------------

On TRANSPARENCY :
--------------------------
    On Gongadze's murder, CoE's body speaks even about the participation of
"an INTERNATIONAL group of Experts" in the Investigation, (f.ex. of "Tape Recordings"), accepted by Ukraine.
    On the contrary, on Adali's murder, CoE is obliged to repeatedly ask (for a 2nd
time) Turkey whether, at least, it informed the victims' Family, or not...
------------------------------
- On EFFICIENCY :
-----------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE formally "recalls that the Committee (of Ministers) ..URGED the Ukranian authorities.. to TAKE ALL NECESSARY INVESTIGATIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVE CONCRETE and VISIBLE RESULTS in the INVESTIGATION, aimed at the Identification of the INSTIGATORS and Organisers of the Murder", and "STRONGLY INVITED the Ukranian Authorities to provide information on the PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION", before MARCH 2009.

But, on Adali's murder, on the contrary, CoE's body merely .. "took note" of the "arguments presented by" Cyprus, which denounce the absence of any proof of new "investigation" by Turkey. Following Turkey's own suggestion (!), it simply "noted" that there is "no limitation period" for "any new element" to "lead potentialy (sic !) to a Re-Opening of the Investigation". Without saying who might find any such "new" fact, since Turkey stoped searching... It also POSTPONED the issue until .. JUNE  !
-----------------------
 - On the PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE :
----------------------
 -  On Gongadze's murder case, Ukranian Authorities already arrested and condemned, at least 2 suspects, to 12 and 13 Years of jail. And on Politkovskaya's murder at least 2 suspects are judged, and a 3rd one "wanted".

On the contrary, on Adali's murder case, the Turkish authorities simply claim that "it had not been possible to obtain new .. information .. on the basis of which criminal charges could be brought against ANY person" !...

Moreover,  a LETTER sent by Turkey ...2 Years after CoE's 2006 call to re-investigate anew Adali's murder case, is totally EMPTY of Facts ! As Cypus' Delegation denounced earlier, Turkey's Letter ONLY CLAIMS that a "New Investigation" was made without any result, but does NOT even cite ANY FACT to prove it :

F.ex.,on the crucial issue of the "MOTIVATIONS" behind Adali's murder, noted by ECHR, Turkey MERELY CLAIMS that "all allegations  were investigated; without result", but OMITS ANY FACT TO PROVE IT !..(It doesn't even remind which were these "allegations").. .

+ On ECHR's astonishment that the Turkish Occupation regime didn't produce any "BALLISTIC REPORT" on the Shots which murdered Adali, Turkey again repeats, 12 years later, that, still, even until now, "it  was not possible to obtain the BalisticReport"...

- As for the astonishing absence of key-WITNESSES' Testimonies, denounced by ECHR, Turkey agains repeats various pretexts avoiding to reveal anything, (Fex. that a person "left" the Occupied Territories  "on 2002", or that another witness was heard, but without revealing nothing of what he said, etc).

Turkey obviously "FAILS TO MEET THE CRITICISM made BY THE COURT" for lack of any efficient Investigation in Adali's case, concluded Cyprus' Government.
---------------------------------------------
Replying to our Question which COMPARED these 3 outstanding cases of "JOURNALISTS MURDERS", Adali, Gongadze and Politkovskaya, in order to avoid "Double Standards" by asking from Ukraine and Russia more than what is asked EU candidate Turkey, many European personalities were critical /

They criticised Ankara's recent claim at the CoE to stop investigating, because it would be "impossible to find anyone" responsible for the 5 bullet shots which killed Kutlu ADALI in front of his Family Home, contrary to the other two Journalists' murders, where Ukraine and Russia at least arrested the executants, searching now for the instigators :
----------------------------------

imag0103_400

    - "Where was that ? In Turkish Occupied Cyprus ? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT : Any murder of Journalist should be investigated in full ! All these Murders must be investigated !", replied the famous SAKHAROV's wife, Elena BONNER to our question on Adali's case, compared to Gongadze and Politofskaya.

    Elena Bonner spoke us EXCLUSIVELY shortly after being honored by the President
of EU Parliament on the occasion of 20 Years of her husband's SAKHAROV Prize.

    A strong personality, Sakharov's wife even had to struggle against an anonymous EU staffer who, astonishingly, tried to stop her speaking when h heard our question on "Turkey" (!) : - "Please, let me translate, she continues
speaking, don't stop us !", had to cry Sakharov's daughter, (a Journalist
herself), who was translating her mothers' reply, (obliged to speak louder to
make her voice heard despite the harassment).. (= + Audio Proof !)

    Earlier, Elena Bonner also fustigated "Double Standards" at another case, on
Western countries' attitude vis a vis Kosovo and the Kurds : -F.ex. "You have
recognized a few 400.000 Kosovars as an "independent" country, but you still
deny that to 30 millions of Kurds in Turkey !", she denounced.
-----------------------------
    - "This (ADALI's murder) is an issue which should be pursued by the Committee
for Human Rights. That's why we have one, and it's its duty to examine cases of
Journalists' murders as the one you referred to. You should bring the case in
front of that Committee", suggested in reply to our question on Adali, EU
Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING.

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of PEACE, if HUMAN RIGHTS are left out :
in fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
--------------------------------------
    + "For us (European/International Federation of Journalists) it's clear :
Whenever a Journalist is Murdered, the Investigation should continue until
those Responsible are found !", replied earlier to another question on ADALI
EFJ/IFJ's Secretary General, Aidan WHITE.

    Speaking as a matter of General Principle, White asked us for "concrete data"
on the execution of ECHR's judgement on Adali case, in order to "look at it in
depth" and "make a formal statement", in comparison with the other Murdered
Journalist case, also pending at CoE's  Ministers for completing its execution,
on Ukranian Gongadze.
----------------------------------------------------
     From EU Rapporteur on Human Rights, vice-President of EU Parliament Liberties' Committee, MEP Giusto CATANIA, we were told that, since there is an ECHR judgement in both Adali and Gongadge's cases, "Turkey must naturally execute the judgement and make a full and efficient investigation, until those responsible for the Journalist's murder are found and punished".

    Even if "we (Catania's "EuroLeft" Group) support Turkey's EU perspectives, this does not mean that Ankara should not behave properly. On the contrary, it means that they have to meet tough conditions, particularly on Human Rights", was added on the occasion of Adali's murder case.

    Moreover, "since you raise the issue of Mr. Adali's muder as a part of a Series of Journalist's murders, including fex. Gongadze, Politkovskaya, ao., tthen we (EU) could also act together with CoE's Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, it was suggested.

    - "We (EU) must step up efforts against the problem of IMPUNITY : Real Peace cannot exist without Justice",  stressed also this week at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, French Minister on Human Rights, Mrs Rama YADE.
------------------------
                     

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