Gov’t pressing ahead with migrant camps plan

The Greek government is seeking to press forward with plans to create more secure and strictly controlled migrant reception centers on the Aegean islands as the pandemic creates further challenges in the operation of existing camps.

The situation on Lesvos is of key concern as the Kara Tepe camp set up following the destruction of the sprawling Moria camp in a series of fires in September was supposed to be a temporary solution. Last week, Mytilene Mayor Stratis Kytelis met with government officials in Athens to discuss the location of a new permanent facility on the island.

Health authorities, meanwhile, are conducting regular Covid-19 tests at facilities on the islands to ensure that any outbreak is quickly contained. Tests on a sample of 110 migrants at the Vial camp on Chios on Friday yielded 11 positive results, while 35 workers all tested negative for the new coronavirus.