Despite statements by Greek Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas on Thursday, there are still migrants living in outdoor tents in the snow with no heating on the island of Lesvos according to sources in contact with Greek Reporter.
Just two days ago Minister Mouzalas told journalists at a press conference that “There are no refugees or migrants living in the cold anymore. We successfully completed the procedures for overwintering,” adding that there were only 40 tents left in Vayiohori, near Thessaloniki, and another 100 in Athens.
However, sources have provided photos and video footage showing that there are still migrants being forced to suffer through the harsh winter in outdoor tents at Moria, the overcrowded migrant reception center on Lesvos hosting some 5,800 people.
“Men and women are forced to live together. Dome tents, that would be advertised as 2 man tents in a camping store, are housing 4 or 5 people,” sources report.
The camp currently has a ban forbidding video and photography, muting the plight of the refugees being forced to live outdoors as their homes cave-in on them, the snow blows inside of their tents and they live with no heating or proper electricity.
The situation is dire and with many migrants out in the cold with nothing more than plastic coverings to hang over their tents, they are extremely vulnerable to serious illnesses such as the flu as well as hypothermia which could be fatal.
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