Greek police sweep illegal immigrants from streets

Greek police on Friday started detaining illegal immigrants squatting in abandoned buildings in downtown Athens. The police have also announced that they will continue the operation on a daily basis. Greek police sweep illegal immigrants from streets The operation followed after the Greek authorities announced that they would open centers across Greece where illegal immigrants would be placed until the authorities decided whether they would be deported back to their countries of granted asylum. “The plan is to place the illegal immigrants in ‘closed centers’”, Greek Interior Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis told Ioannina-based Sky Radio. According to him, illegal immigration represents a big problem and “Greece cannot turn a blind eye anymore”. He added that the problem was visible every day in downtown Athens. Chrisochoidis assessed that the exact number of illegal immigrants in the country could be as high as one million. He added that Greece had to undertake emergency measures to curb illegal immigration so the country would not be thrown out of the Schengen zone. “The evaluation will be made in June and if we leave Schengen, it will be a huge step back,” the interior minister concluded. Tanjug

Greek police sweep illegal immigrants from streets

The operation followed after the Greek authorities announced that they would open centers across Greece where illegal immigrants would be placed until the authorities decided whether they would be deported back to their countries of granted asylum.

“The plan is to place the illegal immigrants in ‘closed centers’”, Greek Interior Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis told Ioannina-based Sky Radio.

According to him, illegal immigration represents a big problem and “Greece cannot turn a blind eye anymore”. He added that the problem was visible every day in downtown Athens.

Chrisochoidis assessed that the exact number of illegal immigrants in the country could be as high as one million. He added that Greece had to undertake emergency measures to curb illegal immigration so the country would not be thrown out of the Schengen zone.

“The evaluation will be made in June and if we leave Schengen, it will be a huge step back,” the interior minister concluded.