The day they appeared he could hardly believe his eyes. Small boat after small boat bearing in from the Turkish side. I have so many memories that are coming back to me now, says Paris Laoumis, 50, a hotelier on the Greek island of Lesbos. There were people from Syria, Afghanistan, many countries. This was August 2015, marking the beginning of one of the largest movements of people in Europe since World War II, as more than a million migrants arrived due to conflicts in the Middle East.
Today, concerns surrounding migration have escalated across the continent. Paris reflects on the drastic transformation of attitudes, driven by fears of economic strain and security issues. In countries like Hungary, strict measures are in place, effectively preventing asylum seekers from entering the EU legally. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's administration has founded a tough immigration policy that has become a template for other nations, as even Germany, once the welcoming heart of Europe, has tightened its borders.
Meanwhile, in Sweden, a nation known for its acceptance of refugees, public sentiment has shifted towards skepticism, with far-right parties gaining ground in response to rising crime attributed to immigration. Abdulmenem Alsatouf, a Syrian refugee who once found solace in Sweden, now voices concerns about increasing racism and hostility towards migrants.
As Europe continues to grapple with these complex issues, the spirit of welcome that greeted the migrants in 2015 feels like a distant memory. The challenge remains: how to balance humanitarian needs with national security and public sentiment in a rapidly changing political landscape.
