Immigration to Greece and other Mediterranean countries has increased sharply due to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, with the Greek government drawing up emergency plans to provide shelter and hospitality.
Over that last week about 750 migrants were documented to have arrived in Greece via Lesvos, Chios and Kos, while a dramatic rescue operation had to be launched to rescue 157 migrants on Gavdos. The government will try to provide temporary relief by setting up makeshift camps at abandoned government and military facilities.
Government sources revealed that Greece has requested assistance from the UN High Commission in order to transfer Syrian refugees to other countries. The same sources also accused that the Samaras government for not taking any initiatives to support the reception and hospitality services, despite being aware that the problem would become worse.
The Alternate Minister of Migration Policy Tasia Christodoulopoulou conceded that migration had increased and that steps would be taken to document arrivals and provide them with the necessary hospitality, so that they are not cramped in port authorities and police departments. Mrs. Christodoulopoulou stated that unused hotels would be used.
Furthermore, Mrs. Christodoulopoulou underlined that migrants in Greece have not resorted to crime since arriving in Greece and that “no refugee has been left homeless, they all have some waiting for them, whether a relative or a compatriot”. According to the Alt. Minister the plans for the creation of necessary hospitality structures will be prepared by June.
“There are three options: we will either lock them up in detention centers, accommodate them or drown them”, she stressed in her interview on ANT1. Mrs. Christodoulopoulou maintained that Greece is unable to address the problem on its own resources and called for the European Commission to provide emergency assistance.
Meeting called at 2pm
A meeting will be held at Maximos Mansion at 2pm on Tuesday, in order to discuss issues relation to migration and the ongoing occupation of public buildings.
Present at the meeting will be the Alternate Minister of Public Order Yannis Panousis, the Alternate Minister of Shipping Thodoris Dritsas, the Alternate Minister of Migration Policy Tasia Christodoulopoulou, the Chief of the Coast Guard Vice Admiral Athanasios Athanasopoulos and the Second Deputy Chief Rear Admiral Nikolas Patrinos. European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, who has also been invited to attend, will be represented by his spokesman Aristides Kalogeropoulos.
