NEWS

As tensions rise on Lesvos, residents call for more asylum staff

As tensions rise on Lesvos, residents call for more asylum staff

Tensions are rising on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos as undocumented migrants continue to arrive from neighboring Turkey, adding to pressure in overcrowded facilities.

According to official figures made public on Tuesday, more than 5,862 migrants are currently on the island, up from 2,990 in April and 4,934 in August.

Of the 5,862 migrants on Lesvos, 4,345 are being hosted at the Moria center which has a maximum capacity of just 2,300.

In a letter to Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas, a local group representing islanders complained that, "the situation is disastrous, first of all for those people, but also for the image of the islands and the of the country in general."

The group called on the government to immediately dispatch additional staff to the islands to speed up the processing of asylum applications so that vulnerable refugees can get the protection they deserve and space can be freed up in the centers for new arrivals. 

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