Michael O ‘Flacherti talks to DW about Greek Roma. For migration it says that Greece violates human rights but it had no solidarity.

Exclusive interview with Alexandra Voudouris.

“Voice” in the 12 million Roma of the Council of Europe Member States attempts to give the book of Human Rights Commissioner Michael O’E Flacherti entitled “The Unheard 12 Million”. He even chose the Greek Roma community as a special chapter because of its size and the attention it has attracted to police violence.

Calls the injustices experienced by Roma “One of the biggest human rights scandals in Europe” And for this reason, Council of Human Rights Commissioner Michael Oplacherti went on to this book as he feels that he feels that he feels that he feels that he feels that he feels that “He has a duty to do everything he can to pay attention to the Roma in this scandal in public view.”

“It is the greatest minority in Epirus and its situation is sad in terms of hatred, exclusion, discrimination, and even pure criminal violence.” He reports in an interview with DW.

He thinks that despite current political conditions in Europe that “There is no right or wrong time to support them. Have fundamental rights like you and me » states and adds that “Although times are difficult, however, I do not believe that the rise of the far -right makes some difference. There is indifference and lack of priorities that have nothing to do with today’s political moment. “

The book released on October 1st, consists of “stories and voices of the Roma” and “very powerful images of a Greek photographer” (ed. By George Moutafi). “This is the living reality of exquisite people, with rich culture, a strong sense of identity, pride and determination for a better future, as at the same time in some places they live in the worst conditions I have ever seen.”he points out.

Police violence and lack of accountability

Greece was chosen as a reference place – as well as Oi Ireland, Finland, Northern Macedonia and Slovakia – because of “the large Roma community that has attracted a lot of attention to international and national level on the issue of police behavior or the attempt to correct conditions”. But he explains that “there is nothing to indicate that the country has unique negative characteristics. There is simply a large community with particularly visible issues. ” He believes, however, that “there is a problem of police violence against the Roma in a context either non -accountability or inadequate accountability.”

The Commissioner at the same time praises Greece for the recent, first census of the Roma as it is not an “easy process”, but “very important” as the national data collection is necessary to complete EU counterparts. Recently, a report was published “which tells their history to the history of a full -time history.

‘Bad idea’ asylum ‘externalization’

At the same time, in a recent report, the Commissioner is ringing a “bell” for the ongoing efforts of EU member states to “external” asylum procedures to third countries as Italy did in Albania. Although the “innovative solutions” that are recently examined by the “bloc” for the management of migration, such as the ‘externalization’ process of asylum applications or the so -called ‘return nodes’ are not ‘inherently illegal’, however, this is ‘purely theoretical’ and therefore constitutes other solutions.

Regarding the new Migration Pact and Asylum, asylum considers that it needs to be implemented first – which is expected in June 2026 – to assess its effectiveness. For him, the “important element” of the pact is the human rights control mechanism at the border, as “it will be interesting how Member States will respond to this responsibility”.

In addition, he considers “at the moment quite alarming to seal the border” and “the refusal of several countries, even for the possibility of asylum applications”.

Regarding the recent decision of the Greek government to suspend asylum procedures due to increased arrivals from Libya – as it happened in 2020 in Evros – with the argument of “tooling” immigrants, Michael Flacherti recognizes that “undoubtedly third countries” They aim to weaken our democracy. “

Solidarity Success – Rights violations

But as he explains, “if the answer is the impairment of democracy and the rule of law (with the suspension of asylum procedures), we are essentially giving these countries what they seek.”

“There is no need for suspension of international law to resist ‘tooling’, as the best way to answer is the individual identification of each case. The numbers are manageable, even in Greece, ”he says.

Although he believes “Greece could do better, as it violates human rights” but “at the same time is one of the two countries in a very difficult situation” as “it was left alone by other member states in the management responsibility, sometimes, of huge arrivals of irregular migrants. It was a failure to fail. “