Chios residents block plans to expand migrant facility

Tensions are growing on Chios as residents of the areas close to the disused factory housing hundreds of migrants have literally blocked the government’s efforts to expand the facility as people keep arriving on the island in boats from neighboring Turkey. 

The residents are refusing to allow authorities to expand the facility with prefabricated housing. Because of the blockade, garbage has not been collected from the site for several days and chemical toilets have not been emptied, with officials warning of a public health risk. 

Around 1,600 migrants live at the state-run camp, twice its capacity, with many forced to sleep in tents due to a lack of space. 

Authorities are keen to get the containers onto the site before the next cold snap. 

But residents oppose the expansion of the facility and the local authority has taken legal action against the government, which is expected to countersue.