“The State Secretary says that negotiations are hindering, but the negotiations lead to a Moria 2”, says Voorberg about the words of Anky Broekers-Knol. “That can’t be the intention. Something has to be done. Something disruptive.”
Steps away
For that reason, the Boeing 737 that flies to Lesvos on Monday will therefore remain at the airport for two days, a stone’s throw from the refugee camp. In this way, the action group hopes to increase the pressure on Greek politics. They have the support of former Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou and some Greek opposition parties.
–
–
Voorberg hopes to sharpen things in the Greek parliament. He is not afraid of legal wrangling. The plane can just land on Lesvos, he says. “That’s settled. There’s nothing political about it.”
Grey area
He also does not know what will happen if Greece allows the refugees to board, but the Netherlands does not want to let them out. “That’s a gray area.”
Three weeks ago, the largest refugee camp in Europe near Moria on the Greek island of Lesbos burned down completely. The consequences for the already dire living conditions of the refugees were dramatic.
–
–
After long urging from the opposition in the House of Representatives, the Dutch government decided to accept 100 refugees from the camp, but to deduct the number of 100 from the number of refugees that the Netherlands had promised to accept in the coming year.
Crowdfunding campaign
For many people that was a very meager promise, after which the action group ‘We’re going to get them’ started a crowdfunding campaign to charter a plane to pick up the refugees themselves.
In a week and a half they received the necessary 50,000 euros that the flight costs. “That shows how much support there is for our action. Now there is momentum.”
–
–
