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Around 224,000 refugees and immigrants have arrived in Greece and Italy through the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, the UNHCR announced today.

According to the UNHCR data, 124,000 refugees were registered in Greece and 98,000 in Italy up until late July.

During the same period, over 2,100 people drowned or went missing in their attempt to cross the EU maritime borders. This number does not include the victims and those missing from last Wednesday's tragedy off the Libyan coast.

The problem with increased immigration and refugee flows was discussed at today's meeting of incumbent cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Just before the meeting, he said that "the problem with immigrants is highly critical for all of Europe, not only for Greece," and added:

"This issue will show whether there is real basis for solidarity or if it is just wishful thinking, limited to lending under harsh conditions. Greece is Europe's border over which huge waves of refugees are rolling. It will become evident whether there is a prospect for a future Europe of solidarity or if everybody simply protects their own borders. "

Photo: kathimerini.gr

Tsipras stressed the need for reaching an agreement with Turkey since it is the country where two million refugees reside; he also said similar talks should be held with Syria and Libya.

"Greece is amid a crisis within the crisis. The immigrant and refugee flows override our capabilities and we are struggling to cope without help from Europe. We are willing to make every effort to treat them humanely with our bottom dollar, but we need an immediate EU intervention," said the Greek Prime Minister.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction, Nikos Voutsis, Foreign Minister Nikos Kodzias, Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection Yannis Panousis, Deputy Defence Minister Dimitris Vitsas, State Minister Alekos Flambouraris, the government spokeswoman, Olga Gerovasili, the Deputy Minister of Merchant Shipping, Theodoros Dritsas and the Deputy Minister For Migration Policy, Tasia Christodoulopoulou who is Dritsas' wife.

At the same time, according to Greek media, works in the Votanikos immigrants' centre are well underway, with the installation of the housing containers having started yesterday. Nonetheless, the relocation of the Afghans living in the camps in the Pedion tou Areos park is not expected to begin immediately.

The Kathimerini daily has claimed that the government has failed to take up funds amounting to at least €500 million the EU has earmarked for migration flow management. This is due to the fact that the newly established agency for the management of European programmes, giving refugee status, reception and integration has yet to be made operational, which is a prerequisite for absorbing the EU funds. The agency has neither a building, nor appointed staff. "In short, due to bureaucracy, administrative sluggishness and poor organisation of the cabinet, Greece has no access to financial instruments earmarked for the management of immigration pressure," argues Kathimerini.

The issue was raised by Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras a few days ago. Sources close to the migration commissioner say that he spoke with the Greek PM "about the urgent need for the government to form a competent agency, which will take over the absorption of extraordinary economic assistance from the EU for providing refugee status, the management of immigration flows, civil protection and other programmes."

It is worth noting that the centre-left opposition parties, PASOK and Potami, have urged the government to take urgent action to deal with the exacerbating situation, and one necessary move is the resignation of the Deputy Minister, Tasia Christodoulopoulou.

She provoked the public once again by admitting in a television interview that Greece is unable to obtain the emergency European aid, and that without the helping hand of NGOs and some far left groups for 'solidarity with the refugees', as they qualify themselves, the situation with immigrants and refugees in Greece would be extremely tough.