Local authorities on the Greek island of Lesvos, which has been the unwilling epicenter of Europe’s ongoing immigration crisis, appear to have proposed a rather unusual location for the establishment of new detention centers, as announced by the government.
According to Greece’s daily newspaper Ethnos, the local authorities on Lesvos and the Region of the North Aegean, have proposed the exotic islet of Aspronisi (“White island”) just east of the coast of Lesvos as the best, middle-ground solution.
Residents of Lesvos and the other Eastern Aegean islands have strongly opposed the government’s plans to establish new detention centers, despite Athens‘ pledges that they will be the organized, enclosed type of camps.
After facing strong opposition on the part of local communities, Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis announced earlier this week that the government will freeze its plans to resume dialogue with the local communities.
The islet of Aspronisi, which lies five nautical miles from Aspropotamos of Mandamados, has an area of 560 acres, more than twice the area of Karavas, on the inland part of Lesvos, which the Greek government favors.
Aspronisi and its nearby exotic islets, which are uninhabited and have no infrastructure whatsoever, are a favorite day-trip destination for tourists during the summer.
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