Greece’s public order minister on Wednesday called for European countries to assume action for a common front to deal with increased migrations flows, and especially in dealing with unaccompanied minors.
Michalis Chrysohoidis made the plea during an appearance in Brussels before members of the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs, where he emphasized that “the problems on the (Greek) isles are explosive … and beyond any ability to manage them … we cannot manage this tsunami of people.”
Chrysohoidis said physicians and employees of Greece’s asylum service face the prospect of daily arrivals of third country nationals, most being ferried from the opposite Turkish coast.
“It is impossible for conditions of hospitality at the humanitarian level to exist at these rates… this is a humanitarian catastrophe and a social adversity,” he said, adding: “The issue of immigration cannot comprise a problem only for the countries on the front lines.”
Back in Athens, widely circulated press reports said the Mitsotakis government will soon announce new closed shelters for asylum seekers whose applications are rejected in the first instance, and until their appeals are exhausted or deported, in case they are not deemed as eligible for international protection.
