“It is an outstanding effort during the current pandemic that Greece transferred several hundred vulnerable migrants from island camps to Athens on 4 May. I wish to praise Greece for this humanitarian act, at a moment when Greece will begin to chair the Committee of Ministers,” declared Fabien @Gouttefarde (France, ALDE), PACE rapporteur on the protection of victims of forced displacement under international law.
“Greece has one of the lowest figures of persons infected with COVID-19 in Europe, and so far the island camps have no infected migrants. Nevertheless, the severe accommodation and sanitary situation has been a concern for years.”
“According to UNHCR data, 7,569 migrants arrived on the Greek islands by boat from Turkey from January to April 2020; 59,726 boat migrants arrived in 2019. Greece is hence a country which needs the support and solidarity of all member States. Luxembourg and Germany have recently resettled a few child refugees from Lesbos. Therefore, I hope other countries will relocate more vulnerable migrants.”
PACE
