The Assembly,
Having regard to the political, social and humanitarian effects of the problem of refugees in member countries;
Having regard to the burden placed by the refugee situation on a number of Governments which also have to face grave problems of surplus manpower;
Believing that the Council of Europe must help towards the solution of these European problems by taking part in certain projects;
Recalling Order 127 in which it announced its intention of participating in the World Refugee Year, the aim of which will be to find lasting solutions to refugee problems,
Approves in substance the project for the resettlement of Greek refugees which is appended to the present document, and urges that it be put into effect after appropriate study.
Project for the resettlement of 150 families of Greek refugees
1. Over the last few years Greece has admitted about 20,000 refugees, of which 18,000 are Greek nationals. .The latter have come from t h e following countries:
Rumania - 5,000
Albania - 6,000
Russia - 2,000
Yugoslavia - 2,000
Bulgaria - 1,000
Far East - 2,000
18,000
2. To assist and resettle refugees of Greek origin is the responsibility of the Greek Ministry of Welfare, which receives support from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. The latter has already succeeded in resettling (in both town and country) about 1,100 refugee families from Russia (in 1956) and from Rumania (since 1948).
3. The object of the scheme set out below, which was drawn up in agreement with the Greek Ministries of Social Welfare and Agriculture, is to provide permanent homes and "work for a group of Greek refugees:
Number of families concerned: 150, i.e. about 500 people;
Place of origin: Northern Epirus (Albania);
Date of arrival in Greece: 1945 to 1955;
Occupation: Farmers, stockbreeders;
At present in: Yannina, Corfu and Thesprotia;
Place of resettlement: the Doreion area (nome or district of Evros in Thrace, near t h e Greek-Bulgarian-Turkish border).
The farming settlement would be established on land belonging to the Greek State.
The climate and the fertility of the soil in this area make it ideally suited for crops (tobacco and pulses), fruit trees, stock-breeding and forestry.
4. According to the data in the attached table the cost of this project is estimated at 29,700,000 Greek drachmes or 990,300 U.S. dollars.
The cost of settling one family under this Les dépenses relatives à l'établissement d'une project is estimated as follows:
DRS. - $
1. Building of farmhouse (2 rooms, barn, stable, etc.) - 60,000 - 2,000
2. Furniture and fittings - 6,000 - 200
3. Public utilities - 8,000 - 267
74,000 - 2,467
1. Clearing of 30 stremmesNote per family. - 15,000 - 500
2. Preparation of 20 stremmes per family for immediate sowing - 1,400 - 47
Construction of a road - 5,000 - 167
1. Provision of farming implements - 3,000 - 100
2. Supply of seed and saplings - 3,000 - 100
3. Yoke of draught animals - 8,000 - 267
4. 40 sheep - 16,000 - 534
5. 2 pigs - 600 - 20
3. Poultry - 300 - 10
7. Maintenance of family for first ten months - 10,000 - 334
136,300 - 4,546
The total cost of resettling one family would thus amount to:
(?) Cost of housing, soil cultivation, oad construction and farming equipment - 136,300 or 4,546
(?) Value of land (400 stremmes drachicr family at 150 Drs per stremme) - 60,000 or 2,000
(c) Miscellaneous - 198,000 or 6,602
The cost of resettling 150 families would there- L'exécution du plan visant au reclassement de 150 Dre amount approximately to:
198,000 drachmes X 150 = 29,700,000 drachmas or 6,602 dollars X 150 = 990,300 U.S. dollars.