The people of Lesbos do not want a new “prison” at all: “Europe, shame on you!” | Abroad

“No to European Guantanamos,” says Chatzidaki. “Europe, shame on you!” she exclaims. The camp is expected to be finished by the end of next year, to replace the Mavrovouni tent camp on a former army shooting range by the sea. This in turn came last September, as temporary solution after the infamous Moria caught fire in September. “No new Morias,” Johansson then promised, and quickly agreed with the Greek government that there would be permanent shelter elsewhere on the island this year. During her visit on Monday, she announced that the European Commission was devoting 276 million euros to this, and for new camps in Samos and Chios, among others.

But the people of Lesbos do not want a camp at all. “Not because we’re all neo-Nazis. I have been working as a volunteer for an organization that has been helping refugees since 1998. But they will soon be hidden in this new camp, 5 kilometers from the nearest village. And Lesbos remains known as the prison of Europe. This camp is bad for everyone on the island. What Chatzidaki and the other islanders want is for the refugees to go to Athens immediately after registration and from there to another European country.