The impact of the refugee and migration crisis on road transport in Greece

The Hellenic Federation of Road Transports (O.F.A.E.) expresses its concern on the surge of the refugee and migration crisis that increases as a result of the war and bombing in Syria escalate, forming new flashpoints in the Middle East and of the international economic crisis.

Our concern is even greater with a view to hauliers, especially those operating in international transport, who have for years been the victims of thousands of illegal immigrants stowing away on commercial vehicles unbeknown to the drivers, especially in the ports of Patras and Egoumenitsa, which are seen as a gateway to Western Europe. Hundreds of cases of unfair arrests, prosecutions and vehicle seizures, which lead to personal castigation, professional extermination and economic disaster is the result of utter lack of preventive security measures in parking areas, in ports and onboard the ferries, as well as of the devastating treatment of relevant cases by supervisory and judicial authorities.

Since the latest developments in EU summits have reinforced closed borders policies, thereby entrapping an increasing number of thousands of refugees and migrants in the Greek territory, who will be desperately trying to find their way into the Western Europe by any means, we are confident that their attempts to stow away on commercial vehicles will be intensified. Exhausted by the long lasting financial crisis in our country, unfair competition and illegal transport, Greek hauliers cannot withstand a new outbreak of unjust persecutions, arrests and seizures.

We invite the Greek government, in cooperation with the competent EU bodies, to assume its responsibilities and take immediate measures for the increase of security in parking areas for trucks in port areas and onboard the ferries during the trip, as well as in our public highways. In addition, we draw your attention to the fact that the Greek port authorities are not even equipped with the needed scanners or x-ray machines, which would definitely support any serious action to remove illegal immigrants from port areas.

Greek authorities must act now on clandestine immigration and take urgent action to protect commercial drivers and vehicles at our country’s ports before the situations gets completely out of control.