A majority of respondents in a latest opinion poll in Greece appear calm regarding the possibility of an epidemic of the novel corona virus, whereas most people surveyed expressed heightened concern over the prospect of another migrant crisis erupting on the country’s eastern borders with Turkey.
A large majority of respondents in the monthly Pulse survey, presented on the prime-time newscast of Athens-based Skai television, said they agree with measures to keep the border region in the Evros prefecture closed and guarded against the illegal entry of third country nationals assembled on the Turkish side.
Asked about the resurgent migrant/refugee crisis that erupted last week on the land border with Turkey – following official Ankara’s ‘invitation’ to third country nationals to travel unhindered towards Greece and the EU – some 83 percent of respondents said they were highly concerned or very concerned.
Some 8 percent said they were concerned little or not at all. Roughly the same percentages were tallied regarding the question of concern in terms of tense Greek-Turkish relations.
Nevertheless, asked about the prospect of closed pre-departure camps being constructed on a handful of eastern Aegean islands to host asylum seekers and would-be migrants already in the country, 46 percent said this was a correct or probably correct decision; the same percentage of respondents, 46 percent, answered in the opposite.
Finally, asked about political party preference should elections be held, 39 percent of respondents said they would vote for ruling New Democracy party, followed by SYRIZA with 25 percent.
