Greek Migration Policy minister, Dimitris Vitsas, claims that the number of incoming refugees has doubled from the Summer of 2017 to the Summer of 2018. He also claims that this is the fault of the distribution centers that are in place in the immediate migration countries, such as itself and Italy.
”This has created a big problem in the reception and identification centers. In Moria camp in Lesvos, about 3,500 people left and 5,500 arrived from the opposite coast. This has made things difficult,” the Minister added. (Greek Reporter)
The current migrant crisis in Greece is the product of a war in Syria, an influx of refugees hosted in neighboring Turkey, and a broken migration system. Syrian immigrants have continued to leave Turkey due to an overwhelming 3 million migrant population. Jobs are scarce, so many are fleeing to countries such as Greece, a member of the EU, for a better future in Europe. The Minister insisted, ”a redistribution program is needed, rather than [the countries of the EU] dealing with the problem alone.”
The EU attempted to mend the situation back in 2016 with the EU Turkey Refugee agreement; all illegal migrants in Greece from Turkey needed to be sent back. The EU agreed to provide 7 billion dollars to Turkey in order to improve migrant education and accommodation facilities. In return, legal Syrian refugees are permitted to enter the EU, hopefully resolving this asylum gridlock.
“Because return procedures in Greece are slow, only 1,564 Syrians were sent back to Turkey between 2016 – 2018. In addition, a further 600 Syrians were sent back to Turkey under the agreement between Turkey and Greece. In exchange, 12,489 Syrians from Turkey were resettled in EU countries.” (Deutsche Welle)
However, as mentioned, migrant numbers in Greece have been increasing despite the EU’s agreement. In addition to the slow pace at which Greece denies asylum and deports illegal immigrants, immigrant facilities have been filling to the brim.
Under the current EU Turkey Refugee Agreement, government authorities in Greece cannot move to await asylum seekers to mainland Greece, so migrants are stuck on the small islands that surround. The combination of a slow asylum transfer system, enclosed islands of a country in an economic crisis, and a continued Syrian migration led the UN to urge Greece and the EU to “speed up the transfer processes of eligible asylum-seekers, noting that the living conditions at Moria’s camp were ‘reaching a boiling point’.” (Greek Reporter)