Athens complains over border controls by FYROM, as refugees remain stranded in Greece

Athens has filed an official complaint through diplomatic channels over Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM's) decision to further tighten border controls this week, Greek Deputy Minister Yannis Mouzalas said Monday, as thousands of refugees and migrants remain stranded near the border crossing, Piraeus port and other parts of Greece.

"This is an outright violation of what was agreed in the recent EU summit in Brussels," Mouzalas said, dismissing any "unilateral action" by EU member states and neighboring countries.

Upon his return from last week's EU summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reassured Greeks on Saturday that borders would remain open and there was no question of Greece's expulsion from the Schengen passport-free travel zone over its management of the refugee crisis.

On Sunday, Skopje's government banned Afghan nationals from crossing into FYROM and requested Iraqis and Syrians to have a passport or identity card, apart from official registration documents, to enter the country.

As a result, approximately 4,000 refugees were stranded near the Idomeni border crossing on Monday and further 3,000 who arrived at Piraeus port from the Greek islands did not continue their journey to northern Greece, Greek authorities said.

FYROM imposed the fresh restrictions after Serbia closed its borders to refugees from Afghanistan in the FYROM-Serbian border crossing and as Austria imposed a cap on asylum seekers entering and registering in the country.

With more than a million arrivals in a year, the refugee crisis is testing relations between European countries.

More than 850,000 people came to Greece in 2015 and about 100,000 so far this year, according to official estimates.

Greece has been criticized by several European partners of failing to protect its borders and in February received an official warning from Brussels to correct "inefficiencies" by mid-May, or face the prospect of a two-year temporary expulsion from the Schengen zone.

Speaking to Greek national broadcaster ERT on Monday, Mouzalas was particularly critical of the so-called Visegrad Group (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic).

"We do not agree with Austria, but we understand. A country with a population of seven million has imposed limits after having received 100,000 refugees. On the other hand, Visegrad Group countries not only have not offered any aid, but strongly criticize Greece and undermine all European efforts to address the problems," he said.

The Greek official also criticized Turkey of "playing political games" directing the refugee flows from the Turkish shores into Europe via the Greek islands despite the agreement with Europe to cooperate in the monitoring of the influx.

"Ankara can clearly stem the refugee flows," Mouzalas said, noting that it was no coincidence that ahead of the latest EU summit the number of refugees and migrants entering Greece dramatically decreased before increasing again.

The Greek minister said Greece would do its utmost to offer accommodation in "humane conditions" to the people in need in reception centers across the country, even though in some cases the burden is enormous as the refugees and migrants outnumber locals.

Over the past few days, for example, more than 700 people have landed on the island of Kastelorizo which has about 200 residents, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

Islanders opened their homes and are trying to assist the refugees in every possible way until they are transferred to the nearby larger island of Rhodes or the mainland.

Four out of a total of five hot spots -- or registration centers -- Greece had pledged EU partners to construct, are operating in four Aegean Sea Greek islands, and the fifth in Kos island is expected to be ready in the coming days. Endit