Feature: Greek gov't rushes to clear Piraeus port of stranded refugees ahead of tourists season

Passenger terminals at the port of Piraeus, the main gateway to the Aegean Sea islands, have turned into temporary unofficial camps sheltering more than 3,700 refugees and migrants over the past two months.

With summer's tourism season on the horizon, the Greek government has stepped up its efforts to evacuate migrants from Greece's largest port by early May and transfer them to organized reception centers across the capital before tourists arrive en masse.

After the Balkan route to central Europe officially shut down in February, more than 53,000 people have been stranded in Greece, according to the latest official data released by the Greek government.

Despite numerous attempts to peacefully evacuate the port, several refugees and migrants refuse to abandon the makeshift camp expressing fear of living in closed facilities.

Meanwhile, the passenger terminals are overcrowded with tents, most people have not showered for days, others are sick, the food and medical care provided by NGOs is inadequate, tensions flare, and fights break out among refugees.

"The building smells bad. We face several difficulties. The first problem is the water. It smells very bad. Yesterday there was a fight and someone was injured with a knife," Waris Ahmeed Saif, a 14-year old boy from Afghanistan who traveled by himself from Kabul en route to Germany, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Despite the difficulties at Piraeus port, for Waris and his compatriot Shamil, 17, who helps as a translator at the camp, there is no turning back. His first plan was to visit his aunt in Sweden. "Now the borders will never open. Many people go back, but I can't. I have two warnings from the Taliban," Shamil told Xinhua.

"I will stay until they open the borders, I want to study," Shamil said.

Although the Mayor of Piraeus, Yannis Moralis, does not have any authority or jurisdiction over the port, his municipality is doing everything within its power to help those in desperate need, he told Xinhua.

"If we want to be considered as a European country, we cannot allow such images unfolding at the gateway of the country, in Greece's main port," Moralis said.

The mayor urged the central government to take quicker action for the sake of the refugees, as well as the local society and the national economy.

As the first cruise ships have started docking at Piraeus, the plight of refugees is the first image of Greece that tourists have. So far there has been understanding, but tourism industry professionals express concern over the potential impact.

"For the national economy, it is vital the port be cleared out," Moralis said.

The Piraeus mayor explained it was urgent for another reason: public health risks.

"We fear that as the heat rises, health risks are increasing. With the mosquitoes, we may see a spread of diseases that are now limited at the terminals," he said.

According to Eleni Paza from the Hellenic Red Cross which is responsible for providing first aid and basic health care at the port, the situation is still manageable.

There have been cases of respiratory problems, allergies, and head lice infestation, but no severe communicable diseases.

"There have not been cases we could not support. On a daily basis, doctors examine up to 120 people during their shift," Paza told Xinhua.

In early March, the port of Piraeus was hosting up to 6,000 refugees and migrants. In the past week, more than 1,000 people were transferred to the newly-built reception facility in Skaramangas, a nearby suburb. It has a capacity of 3,000.

According to the government's plan, all refugees will be relocated to organized camps by May 1, Greek Orthodox Easter Day.

"As long as we have adequate places to relocate all these people, like Skaramangas, the port will gradually clear out. The numbers have decreased by 30 to 40 percent and we expect they will all be gone by Easter, which is the target date," Yorgos Kyritsis, the spokesman for Greece's Refugee Coordination Crisis Management Body told Xinhua. Endit