There has been a great shift in the world population in recent years. Some people leave their homes because of war or hunger. They set off on an unknown journey. Many call it a "refugee crisis," but it is indeed "refugee drama" because almost all the displaced people are excluded or marginalized wherever they go. Some are even subjected to physical and psychological abuse, and almost all of them are labeled as "undesirables." However, they are not responsible for what has happened to them; they are the victims. Even if they want to express themselves, they cannot find anyone who would understand. Over the years, the problem has further deepened as the solution seems impossible.

Even tents confiscated

Recently, in Brussels, municipal authorities confiscated the tents of refugees seeking asylum. The refugees were not allowed inside the building and had been waiting in the biting cold for days to apply for asylum. They were helpless when their tents and personal belongings were taken away and thrown in the garbage.

Isabella Plumat, the director of Belgium's immigration agency Fedasil, announced in an interview in October that Fedasil's center was almost full and sounded the alarm. That same day, a daylong strike was held at the center protesting against overcrowding. These are recent events. Sadly, there is almost no difference from what has happened in previous years.

Greece sounds the alarm

You may recall that last winter, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called on the European countries to improve the conditions of refugees who were barely surviving in the freezing cold. U.N. Refugee Agency spokesperson Cecile Pouilly stated that migrants had died due to the cold, and she drew attention in particular to the fact that migrants and refugees in Greece stay in tents without any heating.

Former UNICEF spokesperson Sarah Crowe also raised her concerns against the situation. "This is not a bureaucratic regulation, it is a matter of saving lives. The situation in Greece is very dire," Crowe said. As I mentioned above, all these calls have fallen on deaf ears. Time does not and cannot heal the wound. Over the past year, no improvement has been made. On the contrary, things have only gotten worse.

No strength to beg

I witnessed it myself. I visited Brussels last month and was horrified by what I saw. Every street I walked on was teeming with the homeless. Homeless and stateless families are fighting for their lives on the streets. Forget heating; none have a shelter above their heads to protect them from snow and rain. They are so helpless that their eyes sparkle if passersby offer some food. To keep themselves warm, they hug each other.

The situation is so grim that they are not even able to beg! When the refugee drama comes to mind, you probably think of Middle Eastern and African people. But you're mistaken. Most of these families, who were fighting for their lives on the streets of Brussels, are from Balkan countries. In other words, almost all of them are citizens of EU member states such as Bulgaria and Romania. The things unfolding in Brussels, the capital of the European Union and the European Parliament, are terrifying. Frankly, it does not suit Brussels at all.

Europe could not dress its wound

How will a city where the EU gathers and talks about the future of Europe find a solution to the problems of refugees coming from war-torn countries when they cannot feed and shelter European citizens? Based on the current state of affairs, no one has an answer to this yet. It is not enough to discuss lofty projects by using fancy sentences. The authorities should look out the window of the EU building every now and then and see the tragedy unfolding in front of their eyes. However, as the buildings are quite high, they have to get up from their seats and look down to see this tragedy at their doorstep. What a hassle! All things considered, the situation is not good at all.