Recognition (of rights) now, THE NEWS

EPILOGUE
Recognition (of rights) now	18.12. 2003

Today is a day dedicated to immigrants, and we cannot fail to invoke with sorrow the latest social survey of the EKKE, which reveals that, in percentages exceeding 80%, Greeks express aversion to the presence of immigrants in Greek society, while, also in high percentages, they associate “foreigners” with crime, the reduction of wages and daily wages, unemployment, and other social ills. The same survey reveals the low tolerance of Greeks towards diversity and multiculturalism. That is, today in Greece, the paradox occurs where intellectual and cultural poverty coexist with economic development and material prosperity. Hedonism goes hand in hand with bigotry, with indifference to the human dimension of the phenomenon of uprooting and the movement of millions of people, everywhere, in search of a place in the sun. And these things are happening in a country that, just two or three decades ago—mainly thanks to the PASOK governments—left behind the status of “Psorokostas” and, from a country of emigration, became a prosperous country of immigration and the Promised Land for thousands of immigrants. On the occasion of their day today, it must be emphasized once again that immigrants add to the national economy and do not take away. The jobs they occupy are those that have been abandoned by locals due to the rise in their standard of living. Immigrants represent a valuable resource that meets real needs in the labor market and creates job opportunities. Therefore, we need to approach with compassion the problems faced by immigrants and, above all, fully recognize their human, social, and political rights, in Greece and throughout Europe. Greece of the 21st century must draw inspiration from its history and culture and expel from the land of Xenios Zeus racism, xenophobia, and bigotry. Anna Karamanou is a Member of the European Parliament and the chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality.

TA NEA, 18-12-2003, Page: R25
Article Code: A17820P252
ID: 395702