Debates on the "open-doors" labour market policy for Bulgarian and Romanian workers in the UK are turning into hysteria, local Independent daily reports Tuesday.

Headlines in the media are scary and politicians are scrambling to comment on the issue painting apocalyptic pictures of immigrants filling up UK's hospitals and schools and bringing down the salaries in the construction sphere. Some claim that this would bring to increase in the crime rate, and even a new HIV epidemic, the paper reports in its article "Lies, Damned Lies, and Immigration."

Some opponents of the "open doors" policy have based their arguments on ignorance and prejudice, experts told the daily.

Former head of the Confederation of British Industry Digby Jones is quoted as saying that Polish immigrants have contributed a lot to the development of UK's economy after their country's EU accession. Jones says that no one should blame immigrants for willing to work for salaries that may seem too low in the UK, but are much bigger than those in their own countries.

Independent then goes on listing the most common misconceptions about the possible immigrants' flow from Bulgaria and Romania, offering facts that counter the "lies".

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