After witnessing the brutality of the Russian invasion, Greece decided to show its solidarity with Ukrainian refugees who are streaming out of their country by opening up 50,000 jobs in the tourism sector to Greek expatriates and refugees, according to greekreporter.com.
Greek Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias, in a press release issued recently announced that there were more than 50,000 job openings that were not covered by the domestic market last year, according to SchengenVisaInfo.com.
“Could these people with dignity, with European contracts and collective labor contracts be absorbed and help in this sector?” he asked, inferring that these positions could be filled by Ukrainian refugees and Greek ex-pats.
“We will not turn a blind eye” to Ukrainian refugees
Kikilias announced that flights from Russia to Europe will be banned for three months, until May 28; at this point, he added, there is still no information on how much Greek tourism will be affected by the invasion in the heart of Europe. He stressed that the Greek government is very concerned about the situation in Ukraine but will do their best, as always, to bring visitors, travelers, and tourists from all over the world to Greece this Spring and Summer.
The Minister also called what is happening in Ukraine “unacceptable,” expressing his hopes that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will succeed.
“However, at this moment, what is paramount and which is in our minds and hearts, I believe of all Greeks, is the humanitarian approach to the situation,” the Minister pointed out.
According to the European directive, the Minister added that the European Council of Internal Affairs is expected to determine the exact terms and conditions tomorrow, Thursday.
“Humanity and solidarity have not been lost in Greece. We will not turn a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. “We will accept Greek expatriates and Ukrainian refugees, providing them with care, residence, and work permits,” Kikilias later told interviewers on SKAI radio.
Thursday meeting should decide on terms, conditions for refugees to work in Greece
Speaking of the 50,000 job openings that went unfilled last year in the tourism sector in Greece, he said that such mechanisms as that which will be rolled out for Ukrainian refugees are provided for by PD. 80/2006, based on the European directive, while on Thursday, the European Council of Internal Affairs is expected to determine the exact terms and conditions.
“The images of our children, women, civilians, Greek expatriates are shocking. We are living in a humanitarian crisis and in this crisis, we must engage in solidarity, humanity, and love for these people.”
The United Nations has warned that there may be an estimated 4 million people fleeing the war in Ukraine, and the UNHCR has so far counted some 400,000 refugees fleeing to Romania, Poland, and surrounding countries. “Some of them even reach Greece”, Kikilias noted, adding that not only “Our expatriates, our compatriots, our fellow believers, but all Ukrainians, all the people who leave their homes due to the war must be cared for in solidarity and be supported to the extent appropriate to us.”
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