The mayor of Lesvos is speaking out about the dire needs of the island in coping with the flood of migrants that are living in overcrowded reception camps.
Mayor Spyros Galinos recently spoke to RT about his concern with the EU-Turkey migration deal that details migrants who are not granted asylum can be sent back to Turkey. Galinos feels that this agreement is simply not enough to tackle the situation at hand.
“Since the agreement with Turkey was reached, not many refugees have arrived on the island. In fact, flows have been reduced or even stopped altogether,” Gallons commented to RT, adding that “The main problem, however, is those who arrive get stuck on Lesvos. The agreement says they are here to stay as long as it takes for their asylum claims to be examined and either move further into Europe, or return to Turkey.”
In 2016 alone Lesvos has seen 94,854 arrivals of migrants by sea according to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR. The migrant camps throughout Greece are well over capacity and have been criticized by many NGOs as well as the Center for Disease Control as unsanitary and dangerous.
“So far, we have not seen enough help from Europe,” Galinos said. “There has been help, but significant reinforcement has not yet been received. Due to Brussels bureaucracy between deciding and acting, a lot of time elapses…EU policy does not help either Lesvos or Europe.”
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