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Chaos for the immigrants on the Greek Islands

07 August 2015 / 21:08:14  GRReporter
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More than 50,000 immigrants arrived in Greece in July alone, according to Frontex, the European Commission announced today. The spokeswoman for EU migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, Natasha Berto, qualified this number as a record as it exceeds the total number of immigrants who arrived in the country for the whole of 2014.

She also informed that for the period 2014-2020 Greece is scheduled to receive financial assistance of over €320 million to deal with the immigration and refugee flows. €260 million is extended through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), and €166 million through the Internal Security Fund (ISF).

According to Berto, the first tranche of the aid, which amounts to 3% of the 260 million, could be released next week, as soon as the AMIF endorses Greece's national migration policy programme.

Avramopoulos's spokeswoman did not fail to mention today's cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. She pointed out that the government should put together an agency responsible for managing the financial assistance.

Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees called on Greece to put under control the "total chaos" that reigns across the islands where thousands of immigrants have arrived.

"EU member states will have to make more efforts to allocate among themselves the burden that Greece has shouldered as in July alone 50,000 refugees have entered the country," said the director of UNHCR's European bureau, Vincent Cochetel, after having visited the islands of Lesbos, Kos and Chios.

"The situation is totally inadequate as regards people's access to drinking water, health care and food. Most of the islands have no reception centres. People are sleeping rough," Cochetel told reporters.

"As a result, total chaos reigns on the islands. Two days after their arrival, immigrants are shipped over to Athens, where there are no facilities capable of accommodating them either. Greek authorities must organise a proper response to this situation," he said, and added he had "never seen such mayhem."

"We are concerned as no one takes responsibility to organise things, which is why humanitarian organisations are struggling to participate in relief initiatives." Kostel also expressed concerns that the situation in Greece might further deteriorate or be abused for political purposes.

"The main priority is to prevent further cases like the one in Calais elsewhere in Europe," he said.

Tags: Society immigrants refugees European Commission UNHCR Greek Islands
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