Mr. Marquardt, you described dramatic scenes with refugees in Lesbos on Sunday. A day has passed. How has the situation changed?
Erik Marquardt: The situation on Lesbos is getting worse, I can’t say otherwise. A child drowned off the island on Monday morning because 48 refugees were in distress on a boat. The Greek coast guard has confirmed this. But it is becoming increasingly difficult to get information.
Why is that?
Right-wing extremists have set up checkpoints all over the island. They attack journalists and aid workers – and also refugees. I’ve heard of hooded people hitting people with steel chains. Accordingly, I have been talking on the phone all morning: Where can you go along? Where is it dangerous? Which areas should I avoid?
What are your conclusions?
Our freedom of movement is very limited. You quickly get into dangerous situations here. NGO workers no longer dare to give interviews because they are afraid of visiting at night. Verified information from journalists would be more important than ever: Both the Turkish and the Greek side are currently making propaganda.
What does that mean for the refugees?
Your situation is becoming even more insecure than it already is. An example: Camp Moria is the central reception center on Lesbos. 20,000 people live here under the worst conditions. They sat there today without help because aid workers no longer dared to go out and preferred to stay at home. The roads to and from Moria are also blocked.
What is the police doing?
In the interview Erik Marquardt
ERIK MARQUARDT
Erik Marquardt is a Greens MEP and photographer. The 32-year-old has been dealing with European refugee policy for years and keeps traveling to the EU’s external border. He already described the situation on Lesbos to the taz on Sunday.
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