Greece cracks down on NGOs, a move dividing opinion in Spain
Greece is intensifying its pursuit of NGOs involved in human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The debate over copying the measure in Spain has split public opinion.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Greece tightens the screws on NGOs accused of trafficking migrants
Greece has set out to dismantle the business of NGOs operating along its borders. The measure, waving the flag of the fight against human trafficking and illegal immigration, has sparked a controversy that goes beyond its borders: part of the Spanish public is demanding similar laws without waiting for them to be handed to them.
The link between certain non-governmental organisations and migrant smuggling is nothing new, but it has now moved from suspicion to political action. Supporters of the initiative argue that many NGOs operate as fronts for incivil networks that charge for facilitating illegal crossings. The historical comparison, crude as it is, has come up: for some, those who today call themselves aid workers recall the role of the slave traders of old.
In Spain, the echo is immediate. Some are calling for a right-wing government to apply a similar law, while others stress that migration policy cannot be changed with slogans. A marginal, more radical fringe believes the measure does not go far enough and demands drastic methods, including the death penalty; the majority consider that disproportionate.
The problem is that the line between prosecuting crimes and incivil humanitarian aid is dangerously thin. Greece has taken the first step, and the rest of Europe watches without consensus. The discussion, far from being settled, has only just begun.
Greece has set out to dismantle the business of NGOs operating along its borders. The measure, waving the flag of the fight against human trafficking and illegal immigration, has sparked a controversy that goes beyond its borders: part of the Spanish public is demanding similar laws without waiting for them to be handed to them.
The link between certain non-governmental organisations and migrant smuggling is nothing new, but it has now moved from suspicion to political action. Supporters of the initiative argue that many NGOs operate as fronts for incivil networks that charge for facilitating illegal crossings. The historical comparison, crude as it is, has come up: for some, those who today call themselves aid workers recall the role of the slave traders of old.
In Spain, the echo is immediate. Some are calling for a right-wing government to apply a similar law, while others stress that migration policy cannot be changed with slogans. A marginal, more radical fringe believes the measure does not go far enough and demands drastic methods, including the death penalty; the majority consider that disproportionate.
The problem is that the line between prosecuting crimes and incivil humanitarian aid is dangerously thin. Greece has taken the first step, and the rest of Europe watches without consensus. The discussion, far from being settled, has only just begun.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (12 replies).
More summaries
-
Greece jails NGOs over illegal immigration
Greece bans and threatens NGOs that facilitate illegal migrant entry with prison. In Spain, suspicions of covert trafficking are growing. A model to follow?
-
Christian theology as migration policy: economics or masochism?
Is Christianity to blame for mass immigration? The debate crossing theology and economics pits critics of the welcome culture against its defenders. The numbers behind it.
-
Canary Islands public broadcaster ignores mass protest against illegal immigration
Thousands protest against illegal immigration in the Canary Islands, Spain, and RTVC ignores it. The Sánchez Plan and its promised 250,000 jobs act as a pull factor.
-
Simeone's property empire: 180 Madrid flats acquired through his company
Diego Simeone and Carla Pereyra own 180 flats and seven buildings in Madrid, highlighting the rental market and housing accumulation debate.
-
Is this normal? Half of Spaniards have less than €5,000 in savings
According to Mintos' barometer, 33.6% of Spanish households spend more than they earn and one in ten has no money set aside at all.
-
Madrid's Sol protest camp winds down as committees pull out
The committees of the Sol camp in Madrid are leaving the site to focus on the November 11 strike, according to the announcement that opened the debate.