Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said that European Union member-states failed to respond to the Greek request to take in 3,000 unaccompanied minors currently living in refugee camps and other facilities around the country.
Speaking in the Parliament on Friday, Mitsotakis said on the distribution of 3,000 unaccompanied children in the 27 countries.
“There are currently 4,500 unaccompanied children in Greece. We proposed to Europe that we keep the 1,500 and the other 3,000 be distributed across the 27 countries. Unfortunately the response for the accompanying children was not positive and this does not honor Europe,” he stressed.
he added that “we will continue to raise the issue with responsibility and seriousness. We take responsibility for what we have to do in the country and this makes it easier for us in our discussions in Europe.”
The Prime Minister outlined the governmental plans that include relocation of 20,000 refugees and migrants from the islands to the mainland by the end of the year.
5,000 have been relocated on the mainland, so far, Mitsotakis said.
having overhauled the Asylum Law, the conservative government aims to accelerate deportations of rejected asylum seekers.
It should be recalled that the relocation from the overcrowded hotspots on the islands affects vulnerable people whose asylum request is pending.
According to EU-Turkey deal, though, deportations to the country they came from are allowed only for those on the islands.
