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In the last decade, the Western world, including Greece, has been experiencing a demographic problem. Societies are aging.

There are many causes of this problem. Some of them could be mentioned:

• The culture of Western individualism. Individualism has taken the place of collectivity. Unity and the "I want" of unity have replaced collectivity. But man is a social being and whatever he has achieved he has achieved with collectivity.
• Economic hardship. Throughout the Western world, there is a decline in disposable income and an increase in income disparities. As a result, the middle class, which can also be considered a pillar of the economy and Democracy, is shrinking.
• Young people experience a lack of vision for the future. The future is bleak, with economic hardship, wars and no hope for the future.
• The resulting insecurity and uncertainty is an obstacle to family development, especially with more than one child.
• Technology has brought isolation. People communicate through technology without personal contact. Also, the algorithms used only bring people together with the same ideas, so fruitful discussion from different perspectives ceases.
• The Woke agenta, which through globalization tries to revise the existence of Nations and the attempt to "pulverize" society into a gray mass that has no identity and can thus be more easily inactivated.
• Particularly for our country, meritocracy, nepotism, familyism in the political life of the country, the intertwined interests of economic and political elites (whose interests are consistent with Turkish aspirations) and corruption constitute a brake on the equitable development of society, leading new generations to other countries (brain drain) in search of a future.
• Urbanization and the slow death of the countryside.
• The decline of the influence of religion creates a rupture in the traditional values ​​of Greek society. Religion (not uncritical religiosity) is a pillar of Greek identity. It connects us to who we are.

The consequences of the demographic problem are stagnation in the economy, with an impact on tax revenues, which in turn has an impact on the reduction of social policy, which intensifies insecurity and thus continues the vicious cycle.

The pension system of Europe and Greece relies on the contribution of the younger generations to cover pensions. The percentage of the aging population in relation to the active population disrupts the required balance and creates another "hole" in the economies of the states.

The proposed solution is to “import” young refugees/immigrants into aging countries. This will bring “new blood”, create growth which will bring economic growth, tax revenues, etc. But is this true or is the reality different?

This idea is put forward by economists, who almost always process data based on numbers but forget the basic background of the diversity of the incoming and existing societies, the difference in morals and customs. These are structural elements to achieve the integration of the incoming into the host societies.

A second factor that should be taken into account is that almost the entire percentage are Muslims, Sunnis and of low education, which makes them prone to being led, in terms of the interpretation of their religion. Let us not forget that Sunni Islam is par excellence aggressive and is instrumentalized by countries that seek it for political reasons, e.g. Turkey (Political Islam). In Sunni Islam there are zealous tendencies such as Wahhabism, organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas. There is also funding for the spread of Sunni Islam in Europe and the USA.

In order to achieve the integration of immigrants in host countries, conditions are required from both host societies and immigrants.

Regarding host countries:

• Is society open to welcoming and integrating immigrants? The answer to this question should not be based on subjective idealism. The acceptance of these immigrants is not about whether they will be able to live in these countries, but whether the societies of the host countries will give them the opportunities to develop economically and professionally or will they always be second-class citizens for the natives? In democratic societies and with the rules of the free market, the state cannot force an employer to hire or give development opportunities to an immigrant. This is left to the inner world of each employer who is a member of the host society. If the society is not ready, tensions will be created on both sides.
• Is society ready to accept religious diversity? For example, we see the reaction of societies against immigrants from Arab countries or Africa, usually of Muslim origin, and in the acceptance of refugees from Ukraine. The difference in the treatment by the host societies is obvious. The above is not about what or how it should be but what the result shows.

Regarding incoming visitors:

• They are ready and wish to integrate into a society whose social and cultural background is very different?
• Are they ready and willing to interact with the indigenous people or will they interact exclusively with each other, creating ghettoized societies within society? Are they ready to establish social and commercial relations?
• Are they ready and willing to form friendships or even create families with people from the host country? And if this does not happen, how will the local community react?

Let me make a small intervention from personal experience, when I left Greece to move to Finland. Although a Christian, the difference (35 years ago) in social and transactional customs and traditions was enormous. It took a lot of work, will, adaptability, learning the language on my part and developing social relationships for my integration. And apart from the religious connection, which provided a background, I needed the full support of my wife and her family, so that I could understand the way of thinking, etc. I wonder how many of these immigrants will have the adaptability, the open-mindedness to truly integrate and accept the social and transactional customs of the accepting societies and their real integration, since their religion dictates the rejection of all others. (Let's not forget the humiliation of infidels, etc.).

The first reaction to settling in a "foreign" environment is the security of the traditional tendency. Nostalgia for what was left behind, for their code of values, attachment to the imaginary. It has no objection to economic development as long as it yields benefits. It is expressed more by attachment to dress codes, education of girls, etc. The step from this to radicalism is not long.

• A pillar of integration is language. Language conceals historical memories of the people, elements of culture and way of thinking. It is the “tool” for communication between residents. In Europe there are second or third generation immigrants/refugees who do not speak the local language! Therefore, they cannot and even more so DO NOT want to integrate into the local society. This will result in the reaction of the local society with ostracism and their further isolation but also the formation of groups only from them. Radicalization for immigrants, who do not want to integrate and experience or feel that society does not give them the opportunity to practice the rules of their faith and Sharia, is much easier to achieve.

Examples

• We have been following the events in Malmö, Sweden.
• Tensions in France and the tensions that have been caused.
• Finland: It is customary during the Christmas season in primary schools to have a celebration in which the children sing Christmas carols. Muslims have asked for it to be banned because it offends the religious feelings of their children. A school with one or two Muslim children would be banned if the celebration were banned for all Finnish children. But of course we have to be 'politically correct'
• Denmark is starting to look for solutions to ghettoization. A result of ghettoization, apart from crime, is the large drop in property prices, resulting in Danes losing a large amount of savings, given that buying a property is the largest investment/savings in someone's life.
• Personal experience: In 2001 I was in Melbourne in a residential area. I took a walk around the area and noticed a lot of house sales in the area. I asked my cousin why and the answer was that a Turkish family had bought a house there. The expected result is that the area turns into a “Little Turkey” and everyone is trying to sell the houses before that happens and the values ​​fall.
• In England, it was reported that a small village inhabited only by Muslims was asked by the residents not to apply English law but only Sharia law.

• Are they ready to accept the laws of the host country? In Western societies we talk about religious freedom, which is correct. Everyone has the right to have their own faith. But what about Islam? Can it accept it?

Let's make an intervention regarding Islam.

• According to Islamic teaching, the Quran is the word of God.
• Islamic Universalism dictates the spread of Islam throughout the planet, even by the sword. 'Fight against him who does not believe in God...' (The Quran, Surah Th 29, Al-Tawbah)
• The Primacy of Islamic Law
• Something that the West forgets is the difference in the evolution of societies over time. The West went through the Enlightenment and its offspring was and is the separation of powers. Islam is not only a religion but also a legal system, which determines transactional ethics, family matters, etc., and for believers, it comes from the word of God. It therefore follows, for believers, that the word of God is above the words and works of man.

The Greek government has said it plans to settle one million refugees in villages of up to 2000 inhabitants, perhaps at a rate of 100 people per village. This will bring “life” and economic activity to these villages.

Reflections based on the above:

• Has it been taken into account how the closed rural society of Greece, currently composed of elderly people, will react? How easily will they accept these refugees? And if "Foreign Zeus" prevails, will these refugees want to integrate into these societies?
• What will be the residents' reaction if they demand that mosques be built?
• These refugees have large families. Will they soon become the largest part of the local society and the social fabric will break down? For me, this must be considered certain.
• What will happen if these refugees demand reunification of their families with those who remained in their countries?
• With this plan, if we make an analogy, refugees will be promoted to 1 villages. A simple analogy: if 000% is radicalized, that means 0,1 potential radical Islamists! That is, on average, one in every village!

Concerns/concerns from superiors

• Has the potential for radicalization and its cost been taken into account? If so, how much funding will be needed from the state to prevent it?
• Their possible instrumentalization by Turkey, which is currently raising issues of Turkish populations in Rhodes, has been taken into account!
• Many of them could potentially be agents who will set up as “sleeper enclaves.” Let’s not forget that many come from countries in which Turkey has influence.
• Possible connection with the "Turkish" minority?
• In the event of a conflict between Greece and Turkey, what impact and cost will this have on the country's internal security?

Instead, a solution could be provided by the regeneration of the Greek countryside by Greeks. A plan should be developed, so as to give incentives to young couples to return to the countryside and find their future there. The Greek countryside can produce and offer high-value products in the primary sector and the food chain, in cooperation with the relevant industrial units.

In Finland, it has been observed that municipalities or communities that want to bring in young people with families offer plots of land with water and electricity for €1,00 (so as not to be considered a donation) on the condition that they settle permanently within a predetermined time. The above is only an example and does not mean that it could be copied as it is, because the structural conditions of the countries are different.

In conclusion, the solution to the demographic problem with immigration from countries outside Europe, and especially with people of the aforementioned religion, personally seems to me more of a utopia than a realistic prospect. This plan will solve the problem of Europe, which, after having "imported" as many cheap laborers as it wanted, wants to turn Greece into a warehouse of souls.

PS: I have respect for every religion and for Islam, which before Ottoman rule had created a civilization.

Konstantinos Gounagias