Many Turks persecuted by the Erdogan regime, among them many members of the Gülenist movement, find shelter in Thessaloniki, says German daily Berliner Zeitung, newgreektv.com reports. According to a comprehensive report in the newspaper, "the number of Turks and Kurds fleeing Turkey to Greece more than doubled in 2018 compared to the previous year, because "cleansing" in Turkey is not over. Many of these refugees in the meantime choose the dangerous route through Evros instead of the Aegean islands with the notorious hotspot. " The new Turkish middle class The report featured statements by Turs who have fled Turkey persecuted by the Erdogan regime as members of the Gülenist movement and who have settled in Thessaloniki in the meantime. Among them, Ventat Erdogan, who states to the newspaper that contrary to what he was taught at school that Greeks are enemies, reality is unexpectedly different. "The Greeks saved us," he says. But the Greeks, who had become accustomed to impoverished immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria, have been impressed with the Gülenist refugees who are well-dressed, have pocket money and a decent appearance." The four Turks quoted in the article, "members of the religious orientation and high educational level of a new Turkish middle class," consciously chose to apply for asylum in Greece. "They belong to an increasingly large group of refugees from Turkey who do not want to continue their journey to northern Europe, but rather want to stay close to their homeland. 'It is extremely difficult to settle here,' says Ventat Erdogan, referring to the 25% unemployment that plagues the city of Thessaloniki. "Here I learned what freedom means" According to BZ, in Thessaloniki, there are nowadays 6,000 asylum seekers, one-third of whom come from Turkey, and "almost all of them are Gülenists," says Sofia Aslanidou, a municipal councilor of the Municipality of Thessaloniki for the support and social integration of refugees Immigrants and President of the Immigrant Integration Council. According to her, the integration process is progressing well and fast. "Generally speaking, I can say that the Turks create the least problems. They learn Greek quickly and have almost all their children incorporated in our schools. " "The exodus of the Gülenists in Greece, however, has also strengthened the historical tensions between the neighboring countries," notes Berliner Zeitung. "Turkey accuses the Greek government of offering shelter to 'terrorists' and asks for their extradition. However, the degradation of the Turkish rule of law and the proliferation of torture have led to the fact that Gülenists' asylum claims are not effectively rejected. The fact that especially the old Ottoman Sanjak (prefecture) and birthplace of the founder of the Turkish state Kemal Ataturk evolved into the center of immigration from Turkey is positively assessed by Mrs Aslanidou: 'We have no prejudices againstthe Turks. Here there are many Greeks who speak Turkish because they lived in Turkey earlier," she says, referring to Greeks expelled in the state-sponsored pogroms in Turkey in the mid fifties and sixties. Turkey is now poisoned inside, I will never go back, says 34-year-old journalist Touba Guven, stressing: "Here I learned what freedom means." RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Mstyslav Chernov