Author: infomigrants.net | 20 November 2018
There are nearly 75,000 refugees and asylum-seekers currently in various reception centres across Greece. The Greek government said it plans to transfer up to 6,000 people from the Greek islands to the mainland to improve their living conditions, but many observers are skeptical.
The number of refugees and migrants seeking asylum in Greece is nearing 75,000, according to the latest figures from Greek authorities. As of November, approximately 74,000 migrants and refugees are being hosted across the country at various reception centers. Most of these centres are woefully overcrowded, and living conditions within them are grim.
Since the beginning of the year, over 42,000 refugees and migrants have entered Greece illegally. Arrivals are not expected to increase in 2019, but the huge backlog of asylum applications and slow processing time - sometimes more than 90 days - leave the Greek government little room for manoeuvre.
More arrivals via land border
"The most challenging issue we have seen in 2018 is the large increase in arrivals at the Evros land border," said Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Vitsas at a press conference.
As of November 12, 14,250 arrivals were recorded via Evros, although the actual total is estimated to be closer to 16,300. In 2017, the corresponding number was just 5,500. The Evros region in northeastern Greece is the only part of the country that shares a land border with Turkey, a transfer country for many migrants and refugees trying to get to Europe. Read more>>>