The Greek government is planning to establish permanent camps that can accommodate up to 1,000 migrants and refugees all over Greece.
According to a government official who spoke to Reuters, the aim is to decongest the northeastern Aegean islands that receive the bulk of migrants from Turkey. The action becomes more imperative as the migrant flows have increased since the failed coup attempt in Turkey. More so if Ankara cancels the European Union-Turkey agreement on controlling the migrant flow from Turkey to neighboring Greece.
The new camps will receive at least some of the 10,700 migrants and refugees — according to the latest official count — who are currently on Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos, the five islands with migrant registration and accommodation centers.
The same source told Reuters, on conditions of anonymity, that the process of examining the thousands of asylum applications is extremely slow, causing tensions among the thousands of migrants on the overcrowded islands and friction with the local communities.
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