Tsipras: We Will See If Europe Will Pay Lip Service Over Migrant Crisis

– Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras urged “We will see if the European solidarity on the rising migrant crisis is real or not” amid talks with creditors and added “We will see if Europe will help the crisis or seek to protect its borders.”

Having added that Greece has been exposing an intense migration flow, Tsipras stressed the country has been facing a crisis in crisis. “The number of migrants entering Greece exceeds the country’s capacity. Greece is border to Europe. Without the help of Europe, it is difficult to cope with this issue. We want to accompany these people in humanitarian conditions. However, Europe will have to help us urgently for this purpose” said Greek PM.

Tsipras reminded that a large part of the migrant flow comes from Turkey and said, “An agreement should be settled with Turkey, where around 2 million migrants cross into Greece. Also, the same issue should be debated with countries such as Syria and Libya.

The accelerating migrant crisis is also expected to affect the tourism, since gates have to deal with large numbers of migrants attempting to enter the islands. According to data released by migration office, number of migrants attempting to enter Greece illegally has tripled against last year. In the last three days, this number reached 1,417 migrants.

One of the key concerns involve the incapacity of municipatlities to supply necessary food and clothes to this human flow. The migrants try to survive with support of locals and volunteers who offer them food, water and clothes.

Some of the migrants, who had been directed to Athens, have been residing or camping in large parks, under inhuman conditions. Upon the negative reaction of locals, a camp consisting of containers is planned to be installed in Eleona, offering migrants better conditions.

After the 1999 earthquake, the same containers had been used in the Eleona area of 40 decares. Officials reported that around 60 containers of 33 m2 size were already launched, along with water and electricity systems, and the camp in Eleona is ready to open doors to the first 400 migrants. By this weekend, the migrants are expected to be placed in this camp.