Greece appeals for EU help as migrants from Syria and Afghanistan arrive in scores

Greece has asked the European Union for help in dealing with the thousands of migrants who have arrived on its shores in recent months. According to estimates by the Greek government, some 37,500 immigrants and asylum seekers have reached the country illegally so far this year. The Greek coast guard says nearly 12,000 were arrested last month, almost a seven-fold increase on the previous month’s total of 6,583, with nearly all of them on the islands facing the Turkish coast. Overnight on Wednesday, the coast guard picked up 216 people in the Aegean Sea after they tried to sail to the islands from the Turkish coast.

We want to go further, another country like Germany, Switzerland, France, anywhere, but not in Greece. Greece is just a way.

EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos

The people were rescued in eight incidents near the islands of Kos, Lesbos and Chios, but it was not known where they were from. Migrants arriving at Kos are being given shelter in an abandoned hotel as they wait for overwhelmed Greek authorities to provide them with documents to travel. After Italy, Greece is the main destination for refugees, mostly from war-ravaged Syria or Afghanistan, and economic migrants seeking a better life in the European Union. But Greece has its own problems, with the country running out of money ahead of massive loan repayments due in the coming weeks. EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, on a visit to Athens earlier this week, said he would back a European Union relocation plan to assist Greece and Italy.

We really beg for bad weather for migrants not to be able to come.

EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos

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