Interior Ministry to be involved in migration effort

Faced with an upsurge in migrant arrivals, the Greek government on Thursday said that the Interior Ministry will support municipal and regional authorities involved in efforts to relieve pressure on island facilities and to set up new accommodation facilities.

The decision was announced after a meeting at Maximos Mansion on Thursday  chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The meeting was attended by the ministers for Citizens’ Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis, Interior Takis Theodorikakos and State George Gerapetritis, as well as the general secretaries for migration policy Patroklos Georgiadis and accommodation Manos Logothetis.

It was also decided that Logothetis will be the government's public relations liaison for the migration issue.

A total of 703 refugees and migrants arrived on the island of Lesvos between Tuesday midnight and Thursday noon, authorities announced on Thursday.