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Greek police arrested six suspected arsonists following the destruction of the Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesbos. Greek authorities believe the fire was deliberately started by inmates after quarantine rules were implemented when several refugees tested positive for the coronavirus.
Initial reports indicated that fires broke out in various parts of the camp. The Moria camp, which is home to more than 12,000 people, was devastated by a major fire last week.
Greek Conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on European partners to show solidarity and asked for help. The German federal government agreed on Tuesday to accept more refugees from Greece. Another 1,553 people from 408 families on the Greek islands should find protection in Germany, the CDU, CDU and SPD agreed. Up to 150 unaccompanied minors must be admitted in addition to those previously provided.
Greek media reported that two of the suspected arsonists were not arrested on Lesbos but in northern Greece. The Athens television station “Mega” reported, citing police circles, that they were minors who were transferred to northern Greece a day after the fire to protect them and that they were to be taken in by other EU states.
According to information from the Greek authorities, on the night of 8 September fires had started in several places in the Moria camp. Most of the camp was burned and another fire on Wednesday completely destroyed the rest. Around 11,500 people were left homeless, including 4,000 children. Greek authorities assume that the fires were deliberately set by refugees to force a relocation of the completely overcrowded camp.
In recent years, Moria has been repeatedly criticized for the suffering of the refugees housed there in devastating conditions. Some of the more than 12,000 inmates had been trapped there for years in inhumane conditions. While the island’s authorities are building a new camp near the coastal town of Panagiouda, the EU states are again arguing over the distribution of refugees.
Meanwhile, nearly 800 residents of the burned refugee camp have been housed in the new temporary camp. As reported Monday night from the Greek Ministry of Migration, 21 residents were tested for the new corona virus.
Antonov brings relief supplies to Lesbos
A Russian Antonov 124 transport plane landed at Vienna airport on Tuesday afternoon. The plane loaded relief supplies for homeless migrants on Lesbos, which Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (VP) will personally deliver to his Greek counterpart on Wednesday.
Austria is bringing a total of 55 tons of emergency aid to the Greek island, where more than 12,000 asylum seekers have been made homeless since the fire in the Moria refugee camp. The freight weighs 55 tons and is 300 cubic meters or 150 pallets in size. It will be brought to Athens on Wednesday on the Russian Antonov 124, one of the largest transport aircraft in the world.
However, many migrants do not want to stay in Lesbos and refuse to move into the new stores. Journalists have no access there. According to the first neighbors, the offer is not good. Consequently, showers and mattresses are missing, among other things.
The migrants also fear rejection from locals, many of whom now resist asylum seekers who remain on Lesbos. Since last year there have been clashes between asylum seekers and residents.
Northern Gis prefect Kostas Mountzouris, one of the harshest critics of the government’s plans to build a new camp on Lesbos, called for protests Tuesday afternoon. Opponents demand that migrants be housed on boats.
The EU asylum authority resumes work
The EU asylum authority Easo says it will resume work on Lesbos “in the next few days”. Easo employees would again hold talks with asylum seekers to support the Greek authorities, the authority announced Tuesday. Easo is also making staff available to help Greece establish a temporary camp on Lesbos.
Easo is represented on Lesbos with around 160 employees. The Moria authorities were destroyed in the fires last week.
According to the EU Commission, 11,000 people are awaiting the decision on their asylum application on Lesbos. In 1400 international protection was promised and in 900 the application was rejected in the second instance.
The largest group of asylum seekers on the island are people from Afghanistan (77 percent). They are followed by Syrians (eight percent) and migrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (seven percent).
Video: ZIB’s contribution to the situation in Lesbos after the fire
