Greece moved to slow the flow of migrants from its islands to the mainland on Friday as hundreds of refugees left reception centers with nowhere to go as countries in the Balkans progressively shut down their borders.
From its northern frontier with Macedonia to its port of Pireaus in the south, Greece was inundated with refugees and migrants after border shutdowns through the Balkans route to central and northern Europe trapped thousands.
At Idomeni, a small community on the border with Macedonia, Reuters witnesses saw hundreds of families walking toward the frontier to join an estimated 3,000 more at a makeshift camp where many pitched tents in a field close to razor wire fence.
More than 500 km further south, hundreds of people were temporarily accommodated at a disused airport west of Athens. Sleeping mats were strewn across the terminal among biscuit wrappers as many women sat on the floor, some weeping.
Between 300 and 400 people refused to stay at the airport, and took off on their own. "Help Us," a large piece of paper held by one said. "We are human, open the borders", read another, scrawled on a sleeping mat.
The moves, described by Greece's shipping minister as temporary, are designed to stem a flow of people mostly fleeing from violence in the Middle East.
Macedonia, to the immediate north, is accepting only Iraqis and Syrians, witnesses say, with Afghans being turned back. Many of those who traveled the 550 km journey north only to be turned away sat in the stinking and overcrowded airport terminal on Friday, pondering their fate.
Reuters
Δημοσίευση σχολίου