ATHENS: Greece asked its passenger ferry companies and travel agencies today to cut back on bringing migrants and refugees from frontline islands to the mainland and said its own chartered ships would stay put for a few days.
The moves, described by Greece's shipping minister as temporary, are designed to stem a flow of people mostly fleeing from violence in the Middle East, as border controls further north in the Balkans threaten to strand tens of thousands in Greece.
Most refugees arrive in the European Union after a short but at times dangerous journey by small boats from Turkey to nearby Greece islands such as Lesbos.
At least 20,000 refugees and migrants have been stranded in Greece after border shutdowns through the Balkans route to central and northern Europe.
Greece on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Austria in anger over the border closures and has threatened to block European Union decision-making unless the bloc comes up with concerted action to deal with the crisis.
"We have taken some actions because of border closings, including an increase of temporary shelter spaces and a relative slowdown of the transport of migrants from the islands to the port of Piraeus," Shipping Minister Thodoris Dritsas told Skai TV.
He said three ships chartered specifically to move migrants to the Greek mainland would be docked at the islands and accommodate refugees for 'two or three days'.
"It is a small scale slowdown (of flows to the mainland)," he said.
Greece has been unable to contain thousands of refugees at registration camps, with hundreds taking to the nation's highways to walk towards the northern border it shares with Macedonia. Some were sleeping rough in central Athens, and others in stadiums.
Macedonia, to the immediate north, is accepting only Iraqis and Syrians, witnesses say, with Afghans being turned back. There were an estimated 2,500 people amassed at Idomeni, the border area with Macedonia earlier today, with hundreds more on their way.
The moves, described by Greece's shipping minister as temporary, are designed to stem a flow of people mostly fleeing from violence in the Middle East, as border controls further north in the Balkans threaten to strand tens of thousands in Greece.
Most refugees arrive in the European Union after a short but at times dangerous journey by small boats from Turkey to nearby Greece islands such as Lesbos.
Greece on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Austria in anger over the border closures and has threatened to block European Union decision-making unless the bloc comes up with concerted action to deal with the crisis.
Advertisement
He said three ships chartered specifically to move migrants to the Greek mainland would be docked at the islands and accommodate refugees for 'two or three days'.
Advertisement
Greece has been unable to contain thousands of refugees at registration camps, with hundreds taking to the nation's highways to walk towards the northern border it shares with Macedonia. Some were sleeping rough in central Athens, and others in stadiums.
Advertisement
© Thomson Reuters 2016
COMMENTS
Advertisement
"Unable To Save Them": Fisherman Mourns After Italian Migrant Shipwreck Border Crisis "Greatest Attempt To Destabilise Europe In 30 Years": Poland Europe's Mediterranean Border 'By Far World's Deadliest' For Migrants: UN Report Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Recalled To Academy, Training Put On Hold What Trump Rally Shooter Did On Last Day Of His Life Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 2.39 Lakh Admission Deadline Extended For EWS And Special Needs Children UGC Launches Project To Develop 22,000 Books In Indian Languages Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.