Vial camp ‘will not close,’ migration minister says on Chios visit

The Vial migrant processing center “will not close,” Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas told disgruntled residents on the eastern Aegean island on Chios on Thursday.

Mouzalas said that efforts are being made to relieve pressure on the badly overcrowded camp, where a shortage of resources and growing arrivals have led to tension both inside the camp and between camp residents and locals.

His visit comes a few hours after tension erupted out in the Vial camp between rival groups, prompting the police to intervene and make arrests.

The minister also spoke with locals who claim they have suffered losses from penniless migrants and asylum-seekers forced to steal food to survive, but say that there have been delays in their payment.

Mouzalas assured them that he will look into the issue and try speed up the settlement of their claims.