Editorial: Delusions

Though the government’s political reflexes regarding the migration-refugee crisis during its first months in office left much to be desired, it now perceives the danger of the refugee crisis taking on much larger dimensions than in previous years.

The government’s understanding of the danger explains its recent swiftness in taking decisions and – one would hope – in enforcing them.

The government must not

harbour illusions. As things have turned out, management of the crisis will require clashes with local elected officials and societies that do not want to take in migrants.

The crisis cannot be managed if the government caves in to pressures or places political cost above properly handling a critical situation.

Certainly a protracted dialogue and all sorts of communication – such as an information campaign to convince those who object to taking in migrants that everyone must make sacrifices in order to avert a dangerous impasse - would be useful.

Whichever political party one supports, it would be delusional for one to believe that there are magical solutions or that the problem can be swept under the rug.

Steadily increasing migrant flows demonstrate that delusions cannot banish reality.

Heightened governmental responsibility and social cohesion are required in order to effectively grapple with the problem.