[News] Pope condemns treatment of migrants in Europe

[Noticias ALEJANDRO]

 

The Pope has denounced "narrow self-interest and nationalism" over the way European countries treats migrants.

Speaking on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis called the neglect of migrants the "shipwreck of civilisation".

The Pope first visited Lesbos in 2016, when it was a major entry point for people trying to reach Europe.

Since then, new flashpoints have emerged and the Pope expressed regret that little had changed.

Last month 27 people died when their inflatable dinghy sank in the Channel between France and the UK. The number of people attempting the crossing has been growing, with more than 26,000 people arriving in the UK so far this year, more than double last year's total.

Several people have also died in freezing temperatures attempting to cross into Poland from Belarus, which denies accusations it has been orchestrating the crisis at its border to destabilise the EU.

 

 

Francis said he understood that there was a lot of "fatigue and frustration" over migration that had been exacerbated by the pandemic, but warned that without change there was a risk that civilisation itself would find itself "shipwrecked".

"Let us eradicate the prevailing mentality revolving around our ego and personal and national egoisms which determine every decision we take," he said.

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Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, who was accompanying Francis, said the migration issue was the responsibility of all Europe, not just Greece.

More than 8,000 people have crossed into Greece by land and sea this year, down from about 15,000 last year and about 75,000 the previous year, according to EU figures.

Greece is building closed camps on several islands to house asylum seekers until their claims are processed. It denies that Greek coast guards push back migrants at sea, insisting that they are saving lives.

British Home Secretary Priti Patel has cited the Greek pushbacks as a possible model for the UK to push back migrant boats in the Channel.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59538413