english french german greek italian lithuanian russian serbian spanish
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

Автор ACM
Sunday, 19 May 2019
western_balkans_mass_migration_route_400

*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)...

 

(../..)

 

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

 

***

 

 

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

 

 

***

 

EUPartnersInvestors

Statistics

Посетителей: 54944719

Archive

Login Form





Запомнить меня

Забыли пароль?
Ещё не зарегистрированы? Регистрация

Syndicate

RSS 0.91
RSS 1.0
RSS 2.0
ATOM 0.3
OPML

Other Menu

imag0634_400

People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.

Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.

The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.

This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.

In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..

EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.

    But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.

    His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
-------------------------
    Holovaty expressed his will to check  "Matters still Outstanding" and  those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit.  This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".

    CoE's Resolution also asks  from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.

    Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out  which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.

    Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
    
     - "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.

    - "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.

    - "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.

    - "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."

    Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World.  "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.

    In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...

    Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific :  - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.

    - The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.

    "Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...

    Moreover, on 2008,  CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008...  concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.

"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.

- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur.  Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...

    - "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.

    But, "the Electoral  system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.

    + Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".

    The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.

Polls

2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

Результаты

SMF Recent Topics SA

Copyright (c) 2007-2009 EIW/SENAS - EuroFora.net. All rights reserved. ISSN 1969-6361.
Powered by Elxis - Open Source CMS.