Greek government transfers more than 5,000 migrants into new ‘tent city’ in under 24 hours

·

It took less than 24 hours for the Greek government to transfer over 5,000 migrants to the new tent city in Kara Tepe.

A police operation took place on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos on Thursday morning to relocate up to 10,000 homeless refugees.

Thousands of migrants were left on the streets of Lesvos after the Moria migrant camp was destroyed by a fire, an operation orchestrated by migrant residents. Formerly the largest migrant camp in Greece, it was believed that up to 15,000 were housed at the facility before it was burned down.

Seventy female officers who were flown in from Athens on Wednesday were tasked to evacuate women and children to the new tent city in Kara Tepe. The Greek government states that the new temporary facility can house 5,000 people.

Greek Police (ELAS) said in a press release this is an operation “to protect public health with a clear humanitarian element.”

Speaking on the island, migration minister Notis Mitarachi said rapid coronavirus tests found 135 of the former residents of Moria positive for the coronavirus, and these people were being kept “in special areas where they receive the appropriate medical conditions.”

Migrants wait to enter a new temporary refugee camp in Kara Tepe, near Mytilene the capital of the northeastern island of Lesbos, Greece, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020.  (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

“It is critical that Europe demonstrates tangible solidarity to the pressure that the Greek islands have had over the last few years,” said Mitarachi, the migration minister.

The ELAS are still evacuating roads leading from Moria to the main town of Mytilene, where they are being refused entry into the city.

“As long as it is peaceful, we believe it is a good move,” said Astrid Castelein, head of the U.N. Refugee Agency’s office on Lesbos. “Here on the street it is a risk for security, for public health, and it’s not dignity which we need for everyone.”

Government spokesperson Stelios Petsas says all migrants undergo a rapid coronavirus test in 17 mobile units of EODY and are then registered in the camp.

“We continue implementing the three aims we had set from the beginning: shelter, food [and] protection,” Petsas said.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

What will it take to save Greek language in Australia?

Italian Greeks first proposed the creation of International Greek Language Day on February 9to celebrate the rich history of the Greek language.

Biracial families keeping Greek culture and language alive for the next generation

One recurring question when discussing Australia’s Hellenic community is how the next generation will be affected. Will they hold onto the language?

Professor Giorgos Babiniotis: ‘The Greek language is not a tool; it is a value system’

International Greek Language Day, celebrated annually on February 9, pays homage to the influence of the Greek language on human civilisation.

An ode to the Greek language by a teacher’s daughter

My mother, the teacher, always reminded me when we left Istanbul, where I was born, to come to Australia, for the sake of our language.

Niki Louca shares her favourite recipe for Lime Pistachio Cake

Niki Louca from My Greek Kitchen shares her favourite recipe for lime pistachio cake with The Greek Herald. 

You May Also Like

Greek filotimo praised amid fire emergency on Rhodes

As many as 40,000 tourists have been evacuated or urgently fled Rhodes on the weekend in one of Greece's largest-ever wildfire evacuations.

Mandatory mask-wearing in planes, public indoor areas to end June 1 in Greece

The mandate to wear face masks in all indoor and outdoor public spaces is lifted from June 1 through September 15.

Athens IMF to shut down within months

The International Monetary Fund will soon be shutting down its local bureau in Athens in a move signaling Greece's readiness to leave behind a decade marked by financial crisis.