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IRO call for international approach to immigration
Page 9
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• The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has called on the Greek authorities to tighten security at ports to deter illegal immigrants from gaining access to trucks travelling across Europe.
The industry body says that governments have been quick to punish hauliers and drivers for asylum seekers found onboard trucks, regardless of the circumstances.
But they have been reluctant to acknowledge their responsibility for providing adequate security and policing illegal migration.
The IRU says that it now wants to see an international, inter-agency and intermodal approach to immigration, as proposed by the transport industry in its roundtable discussion with the European Commission in 2001. It also wants international minimum standards for security levels at ports to be implemented.
"The difficulties experienced by operators travelling from Greece to Italy coupled with similar problems between Spain and Morocco highlights that illegal immigration is a global issue, rather than an isolated one affecting hauliers travelling between France and the UK," adds AU spokesman Guy Willis.
Tracy Wilson, who is cam
paigning for the release of her truck driver husband David who has been jailed in Greece charged with smuggling refugees (CM 10-16 April), says there needs to be greater levels of security at the Greek ports.
"I have seen asylum seekers climbing over the walls at Patras, where David was arrested," she says. "The Greek authorities know this goes on and do nothing to stop it.
"I feel very angry that the immigrants who were found in his truck were released after 15 days to do it again, while he faces 11 years in jail for something he knew nothing about."
• Jenniferball*rbi.co.uk