Minister says 20,000 refugees to be transferred from Greek islands by year-end

At least 20,000 refugees and migrants will be transferred from the Greek islands to the mainland by the end of the year, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis was cited as saying by New Democracy sources on Thursday.

According to the state-run Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), Chrysochoidis disclosed the plan during a briefing of ND deputies on the basic regulations of a new draft bill for granting refugees asylum, which is currently on public consultation.

Citing Chrysochoidis, party sources said that the push will concern families, which will be distributed between different parts of Greece and housed in hotels and other facilities.

ND's parliamentary secretary, Stavros Kalafatis, told the ANA-MPA that the government has ruled out housing families in disused military camps, adding that “MPs have no problem agreeing to accept refugees in their voting districts, especially since the minister assured them that there will be an equal distribution among regions.”