The Greek migration minister has asked the European Union to speed up the relocation of refugees from Greece to other member states.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Greek migration minister has asked the European Union to speed up the relocation of refugees from Greece to other member states.
Last year the EU promised to ease pressure on Greece and Italy who are on the front line of the migrant crisis.
Under the plan 160,000 migrants could be relocated over two years, but so far just 4,000 have actually moved.
Yannis Mouzalas said he wants to give migrants and asylum seekers the right to work.
“This work on the preliminary registration gives us the ability to move forward with the programmes being developed by the Education Ministry for the children at the camps, for the children of the refugees,” said Mouzalas. “It also gives us the ability to change regulations – we will see how this can be accomplished – to give these people the right to work.”
Mouzalas said Greece has 7,000people ready to be relocated and no answer from EU member states which would be obliged to accept them.
Most refugee camps have been criticised by humanitarian organisations as having poor, unsanitary and unsafe conditions.
Hungary and Slovakia have challenged the relocation plans in EU courts.