Government mulls Plan B for returning migrants

Faced with reactions from municipal officials in southern Athens against plans to set up migrant reception facilities at the site of the old international airport at Elliniko, authorities were over the weekend mulling the idea of transferring migrants to two disused army camps.

One of the camps being considered lies within the boundaries of the capital and the other outside it, Kathimerini understands.

A key issue dogging the government is the fate of north-bound migrants who are turned back on the border with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) because they are not considered refugees.

Speaking to Kathimerini, an official that did not wish to be named said that non-Syrians, Iraqis or Eritreans who received permission to stay in Greece for 30 days after arriving at one of the Aegean islands will after the deadline be considered illegal unless they have submitted an asylum or repatriation claim.

“Officially, these people cannot be accommodated in one of the ‘open’ facilities,” the official said.