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Vathy’s camp is completely crowded.
© APA (AFP / File)
The completely overcrowded Vathy refugee camp on the Greek island of Samos will close at the end of the year. This was announced by Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis on Tuesday after an inspection of the camp, which is located on a hill above the island’s main city, Vathy. “The situation in Samos is very difficult. It will be closed,” the minister said on state television.
People living in the camp will be housed in another facility, which is currently being built about seven kilometers from Vathy. Within two days, the camp residents had set the camp on fire. According to official information, dozens of tents, cabins and container departments were destroyed. Police arrested 22 people. As reported by state television, they should be charged with arson. This could result in their asylum applications being rejected, he said.
Various information is available on the causes of arson. Police officers assume that refugees continue to light fires to compel authorities to bring them to the mainland. However, there is also information that the fires started after fighting between migrants, on the one hand from Africa and, on the other hand, from Afghanistan, employees of humanitarian organizations reported. There were several fires at Camp Moria, on the island of Lesbos, in February, which, according to media reports, are believed to be right-wing extremist groups.
Around 6,800 migrants live in and around the Vathy camp. That’s ten times more than what the camp can accommodate.
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