Refugee hotspots in Greece come under fresh pressure

Workers at migrant reception centers on the eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos and Samos are demanding the renewal of their contracts, which will begin to expire next month.

A rally was held outside the Moria hotspot on Lesvos on Wednesday by workers who say that 162 of them, including cleaning staff, will begin losing their jobs as of April until June if their contracts are not renewed.

For his part, the deputy regional governor of Samos, Nikos Katrakazos, warned that if workers start leaving the island’s hotspot then “problems will be created.”

“The services [workers] provide are invaluable,” he said, adding that a solution must be found immediately as local residents have borne the brunt of the refugee crisis. It is incumbent on the government, he said, to manage the crisis so as to protect local economies from its repercussions.