Greek minister: EU provided inadequate help for refugees
- 8 years ago
The European Union has provided far less than is needed to help Greece deal with the massive influx of refugees and other migrants this year, the country's European affairs minister said Friday.
Nikos Xydakis gave the example of staff from the European border agency Frontex, saying that Greece needed 750 but initially received only 350, increasing by a further 100 or so in recent days.
Greece is the main point of entry into the EU for people fleeing war and poverty at home, with the vast majority of the 700,000 people who have entered the country this year reaching Greek islands from the nearby Turkish coast.
The government says it has also received fewer fingerprinting machines than it needs to identify and register people, and not enough help to patrol the Aegean.
"There is an inability of the member states and the European mechanisms to respond to the needs of this storm," Xydakis said.
Nikos Xydakis gave the example of staff from the European border agency Frontex, saying that Greece needed 750 but initially received only 350, increasing by a further 100 or so in recent days.
Greece is the main point of entry into the EU for people fleeing war and poverty at home, with the vast majority of the 700,000 people who have entered the country this year reaching Greek islands from the nearby Turkish coast.
The government says it has also received fewer fingerprinting machines than it needs to identify and register people, and not enough help to patrol the Aegean.
"There is an inability of the member states and the European mechanisms to respond to the needs of this storm," Xydakis said.