Serious violation of the human rights by the Greek Authorities

A tensed situation is created at the border checkpoints of Kapshtica and Kakavija. Thousands of Albanian migrants are seeking to return to Greece possessing the respective documents. Greek authorities showed an unexplainable underestimation of the Albanian migrants in Greece. The correspondent of AHC from Gjirokastra went to the place of the event and reported that thousands, adults and children are forced to stand for nights on end in the open. The car columns stretch for miles. In these circumstances there have been cases when people, especially children couldn’t stand the difficult situation and medical intervention was indispensable.

Greek authorities demonstrated a serious violation of human rights by disrespecting the elementary rules and inflicting sufferings to an entire population concentrated at the border check points.

On their part, the Albanian Authorities didn’t react at the right time and level and this didn’t contribute to a rapid solution of the problems. Nevertheless the Albanian authorities have certain responsibility for the created situation. It is not acted with concern to speedily intervene nearby the Greek authorities to seek for the observation of the elementary migrants rights. This long disregard was interpreted in the public opinion as a demonstration of some racial prejudices against Albanian migrants, attitude that is present during their stay and work in the Greek country.

20.08.2002