This week Gript interviewed an alleged asylum seeker outside Harry’s Hotel in Kinnegad, who told us that he had traveled to Ireland from Spain using a €4000 fake Bulgarian passport.
The asylum seeker claimed to be an atheist ex-Muslim fleeing a Muslim-majority region, and as such did not wish to be filmed or named, as apostasy carries a death sentence in Islam. However, he agreed to conduct an audio interview.
Though he didn’t request it, we have censored his country of origin for security reasons:
“When I came here, I thought I could start a new life here,” he said.
“I thought I would build a new future here.”
However, he said he felt he could “not do anything” when he arrived in Kinnegad.
“It’s a small village. There is no gym. No English centre. No medical team.”
He continued: “This is six months to improve myself in the English language, for example. And here I can’t integrate into society. Where can I go here?”
When asked how he arrived in Ireland, he said he used a Schengen Visa to visit Spain. There he said paid €4000 to buy a fake Bulgarian passport, before travelling on to Ireland.
The Schengen visa is the most common visa for Europe, and enables its holder to freely travel between Schengen member countries with no border controls. The Schengen Zone covers most of Europe, with the exception of Ireland, the UK and some others.
Though Spain is a safe country, he said there were “many reasons” he didn’t stay there – chief among them being he didn’t speak the language. He said while he studied English in his home country, he did not want to learn Spanish.
He also said that in Spain it can be difficult to get accommodation as an asylum seeker. He said “many” of his friends had gone to Spain and had to wait 5 years before they could start work to get accommodation.
“Some people told me that Ireland is better in this way, and I heard that Ireland is a good place,” he said.
“The people are friendly. These are my reasons [for not staying in Spain].”
He added that other countries like Germany were much less hospitable. He said that in Germany, he could not have accommodation even if he was living there “for a hundred years.”
A more detailed report on the situation in Kinnegad can be viewed below.
WATCH: "Our children aren't safe": Kinnegad locals express concern over lack of vetting for asylum seekers in their town.
Watch now: https://t.co/1FxhqO4FCN#gript pic.twitter.com/Qa6r24shi0
— gript (@griptmedia) July 13, 2022