NEWS

Hundreds of vulnerable refugees to be transferred to the mainland

Hundreds of vulnerable refugees to be transferred to the mainland

More than 400 vulnerable refugees from the eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Kos will be transferred to the mainland on Saturday, sources from the Migration Policy ministry said.

The refugees are mainly families with children from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Sub-Saharan Africa, who will be send to facilities in Elefsina, Thermopyles, Ritsona and two hotels in Marathonas and Aghioi Theodoroi, the same sources said.

Migration Policy Minister Dimitris Vitsas said in an interview with radio station Kokkino on Friday that about 3,500 people were evacuated from the islands in October and more will be transferred by the end of the year, when the program to decongest the islands has been completed.

The islands of the eastern Aegean were the most heavily affected by the waves of migration in recent years, with thousands stranded in overcrowded camps as they wait for their asylum application to be processed. 

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