Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras appealed to refugees to leave the Greece-FYROM border and move to hospitality centers because the Balkan route will not reopen.
With 12,000 refugees and migrants gathered at Idomeni — in the neutral zone between Greece and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia — living under unhealthy conditions, the Greek government is trying to convince them to leave the area and get transferred to the various hospitality camps across Greece. However, the vast majority of refugees stay in the area in hopes that the border might open or that they would find an alternative way to enter FYROM and then move to central Europe.
The Greek prime minister stated that it is unacceptable that some volunteer organizations have distributed brochures misinforming refugees that if they cross to FYROM then they will be forwarded to central Europe. Also, Tsipras accused non-government organizations that helped refugees cross the border to FYROM illegally or advise them to stay at Idomeni because FYROM might open its border again.
“It is the assessment of the government that this is criminal behavior and it must stop. We call on them (refugees) to abandon efforts to stay in the area. We appeal to them to move to reception centers and stay there under humane conditions and work with us for their legal relocation,” Tsipras stated.
Speaking of the refugees who crossed into FYROM illegally, Tsipras said: “The refugee problem should not turn into a cross-border problem between Greece and FYROM.”
Moreover, the Greek prime minister said that, “Greece has undertaken obligations that exceeded its powers and capabilities, even when the Balkan route was open. Due to unilateral and unacceptable actions the Balkan route was closed and the Greek government was confronted with a humanitarian task to tend for a large number of trapped refugees.”
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