Plan to move migrants to mainland stalls amid local protests

The government’s plan to move asylum seekers from overcrowded camps on the Aegean islands to less cramped facilities on the mainland has stalled amid opposition by local communities. 

The arrivals from the islands would be spread across facilities on the mainland to ensure that the migrant community does not exceed 1 percent of the local population. On the Aegean islands, migrants account for around 15.5 percent of the total population. 

Plans for a new facility in Nea Peramos, near Kavala, are being obstructed by local authorities while communities with existing facilities slated to take in more migrants are also protesting.