Greece relocates group of younger refugees to Portugal By Reuters

ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece moved 25 unaccompanied minors from overcrowded migrant camps to Portugal on Tuesday as element of a relocation programme to EU international locations.

The boys, all aged concerning 15 and 17, had lived in refugee camps on outlying Greek islands. They have no family members in Europe.

Hundreds of 1000’s of migrants and refugees fleeing conflict and poverty nations around the world used Greece as a springboard to European nations around the world in 2015 and 2016, when an EU-brokered accord with Turkey all but halted the circulation, trapping a lot of in Greece.

At minimum 5,200 migrant children from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa now stay in Greece, lots of of them in harsh conditions.

Tuesday’s transfer was component of a voluntary program to relocate minors from Greek camps to other European nations amid concerns about the affect of the coronavirus on vulnerable teams.

“Europe is accomplishing its responsibility for those who have the greatest will need, and have to have security,” stated Irene Agapidaki, distinctive secretary responsible for unaccompanied minors at the Greek migration ministry.

She was speaking from Athens airport following bidding farewell to the kids.

Another team of 25 kids is predicted to fly from Athens to Finland on Wednesday. Greece is in the course of action of relocating about 1,600 unaccompanied minors who have no family customers in Europe. Some have already been sent to other nations around the world

Deputy migration minister Giorgos Koumoutsakos stated that in addition to relocating minors, authorities had been also pursuing a voluntary return scheme for men and women who were in camps on the Greek islands and who had arrived by Jan. 1 2020.

Koumoutsakos mentioned economic incentives were getting supplied to all those intrigued in returning home. “We anticipate the initial flight in this intricate job to be to Iraq in coming weeks,” Koumoutsakos stated.