The government and the Greek police will facilitate the entry of Ukrainian refugees into the country, in close cooperation with the Ukrainian embassy, while at the same time all security measures have been taken at the country’s gates and at critical targets, said the Minister of Civil Protection. Takis Theodorikakostalking on his radio SKAI 100.3 and journalists Vassilis Chiotis and Notis Papadopoulos.
The minister answered questions about invasion of Russia in Ukrainethe discussion of political leaders in Parliament and the preparation of our country for the reception of Ukrainian refugees.
According to Mr. Theodorikakos, the Ukrainian side requested the facility of people who have passports without their biometric features (which are the safest and most modern technology) as well as the need to facilitate families who have their children with them.
“The government and the Greek Police will make it easier for Ukrainian refugees to enter the country. “This is a sign of humanity and full support for the Ukrainian people and the specific people who are being tested by the war in their country,” he said.
This practically means that all Ukrainian citizens with passports with biometric characteristics enter Greece, while the rest are registered at the entrance, and in cooperation with the Ukrainian embassy obtain travel documents at the country’s borders. The Ukrainian side assumes the responsibility of identifying the Ukrainian nationality of these people.
“So far, about 1,500 have entered the country Ukrainian nationals, with passports with biometric features and there was not the slightest issue. All these people have relatives, friends and acquaintances in Greece. It is known that in the last 20-30 years, many people have come from Ukraine to our country, so there is contact and communication “, noted Mr. Theodorikakos and added:
“It simply came to our notice then we facilitate and families with children, always with the condition that a representative of the Ukrainian embassy will participate in order to secure and identify every person who will enter the Greek territory. “Significant preparations are currently being made by the Ministry of Immigration Policy to ensure places where these people will be hosted.”
Regarding the reception and provision of any assistance to the Ukrainians leaving the war zone, it is very important that, as Mr. Theodorikakos said, this Thursday the Council of the European Union is expected to enter into full force of Directive 52/2001, by which these people are classified as refugees and receive temporary protection status when there are mass influxes of refugees due to the war. This directive has been a Presidential Decree in Greece since 2006, so it is in full force, and the maximum they are entitled to stay under this directive is two and a half years.
The minister also stressed that no one can determine the number of people who will come to our country. “Bad lies are an extremely unprecedented situation. To be honest, I do not think one would have expected to reach such a point, perhaps many in the West believed that there would be a very limited military operation, which would not cover the whole of Ukraine – but here we have a normal invasion. “Across the country, a direct threat to the independence of a separate state, things we have seen for many, many years, many decades.”
Regarding the debate in Parliament, the Minister of Citizen Protection stressed that two points stand out. The first, he said, I think is very important and is that all political forces, regardless of the analysis that everyone makes, are against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The second point, on which there are different views, is that the opposition does not see positively the fact that our support and solidarity was not limited to a verbal level, but was accompanied by acts of support with weapons and humanitarian aid.
“This is obviously a point of political confrontation,” he said. “We believe that – and in this we represent the vast majority of Greeks – and that Greece must show its solidarity with Ukraine in practice. We Greeks, Hellenism, have suffered in Cyprus in 1974 and we do not forget it. “This is one of the main reasons why the Greek people and the Greek government and the Greek political system are so strongly opposed to and denounce this provocative Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
