Sailing Greek Ionian and refugees 2016

[yeloya]

I have been sailing since March this year between Turkey and Dodocanese islands and talked to people from both side. I haven't heard yet anybody to have seen any refugees since October 2015. And yet, the damage was done, Turkey (possibly for other reasons as well) and Dodocanese are deserted.
I am even told that the greeks that are on ionian site (western Greece) are claiming that this part of Greece (Rhodes, Kos, etc) is not safe.
Well done..


Yeloya

[Dulcesuenos]

Not Greece but looks like the Italian navy is keeping busy.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/0...091606146.html
BTW lots of refugees in Greece. Just flew out of Athens today. The old airport area is a tent city.

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[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by yeloya

I have been sailing since March this year between Turkey and Dodocanese islands and talked to people from both side. I haven't heard yet anybody to have seen any refugees since October 2015. And yet, the damage was done, Turkey (possibly for other reasons as well) and Dodocanese are deserted.
I am even told that the greeks that are on ionian site (western Greece) are claiming that this part of Greece (Rhodes, Kos, etc) is not safe.
Well done..


Yeloya

Yeloya, I presume the "well done" was a way of expressing congratulations for scaremongering without cause?

In 2015 over 800,000 refugees made the crossing from Turkey to to the Greek Dodecanese islands, mainly in tiny overcrowded boats.

Numbers dropped dramatically in March following both the border closure with the FYROM and the agreement with Turkey that Greece could return all new "irregular migrants". There have still been over 160,000 entering Greece via the eastern sea route this year, 400+ just on Tuesday.

I understand the negative impact that this has had on tourism on both the Greek and Turkish sides in this region, even in zones were the numbers crossing have been low or non existent. I sympathize with this, as I know the locals who depend on tourist trade are suffering, but simply saying you have not seen any refugees and no one you have spoken to has since October 2015 does not mean the problem does not exist.

SWL

[yeloya]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

, but simply saying you have not seen any refugees and no one you have spoken to has since October 2015 does not mean the problem does not exist.

SWL

I didn't say that the problem is over, I am just saying that the impact of this problem on us crusiers are nil or negligeable..

Two years ago I remember thousands of refugees lying down on pantoons in Simi, Kos and even in Kostelorizon... The boats couldn't make entry and exit procedures, local people was terrorised, etc.. I am just saying that there is nothing even close to that..

Cheers

Yeloya