Migrants facing long waits to cross Greece’s border with FYROM
Migrants are facing long waits to cross Greece's border with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) after a four-day ferry strike ended, easing a bottleneck on the country's eastern Aegean islands, where the vast majority of people arrive from nearby Turkey.
Police said 6,950 people crossed the border in the last day up to Monday morning, while thousands more were hoping to cross Monday as waiting times were reaching 18 hours.
About 4,500 people were waiting in a queue of 90 buses early Monday morning, while another 1,500 were waiting in tents that have been set up in the Idomeni border area. Unseasonably warm weather meant conditions were good.
FYROM authorities, following the standard practice of the past few months, were allowing groups of 50 people to cross every 10 to 15 minutes.
Syrian Raafat Lord, 23, from Aleppo, said his group had been waiting in "buses for 12 hours and another three hours in the tents."
The camp has been set up on the border to provide facilities for those waiting, including tents, food, water, showers and areas for mothers with young babies. Donated clothes are also available.
[AP]
