Off the wire
• China calls for international cooperation to fight terrorism  • China Africa Development Fund hits 5 bln USD  • Mozambican media hails Mozambique-China relations  • EU's Juncker to discuss referendum with Danish PM next week  • Chinese man turns air pollution into brick  • Urgent: China issues new Africa policy paper  • Telecom network disrupted throughout Germany  • Roundup: 30 militants killed in S. Afghanistan, gov't forces attempting to retake Darqad in north  • China, Japan to hold high-level talks on maritime issues  • Weather forecast for world cities -- Dec. 4  
You are here: 　 Home

Situation on Greek-Macedonian border sparks concern: IOM

Xinhua, December 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported Friday that the situation on Greece's border with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is becoming extremely tense amid protests and sporadic rioting by stranded migrants and refugees.

According to the IOM, nobody has been able to cross the border since the day riots broke out on Dec. 2 when some 4,058 Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees and migrants were given permission to cross.

This has left some 3,500 migrants of other nationalities stranded on the Greek side of the border, along with 2,500 Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis who are expected to be granted permission to enter the FYROM upon the border's re-opening.

The IOM indicated that another contingent of around 3,200 migrants and refugees is to arrive shortly.

Since November 27, the IOM indicated that Greek authorities have been shuttling between 50-100 stranded migrants every day to a reception facility which can host up to 350 people in the Elliniko area of Athens.

Once there, migrants and refugees mostly from Morocco, Iran, Afghanistan and Algeria, are given food, legal information and psychological support on top of a place to stay.

According to official figures, of the 893,970 maritime arrivals recorded this year, 744,652 have taken place in Greece, the largest entry point into Europe for refugees and migrants hailing from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Iran. Endit