Greece to get tougher on illegal immigrants as islands struggle to stay afloat

According to government sources Greece’s Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas is expected to ban migrants who appeal against a rejection of their application for political asylum from a voluntary repatriation scheme being run by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The move comes as Greece struggles with crowded migrants reception centres and social unrest often associated with them.

Greek authorities are also boosting efforts to locate and detain as many illegal migrants who are due for deportation back to Turkey as part of the agreement signed between the EU and Turkey last year.

As weather conditions start to improve more arrivals are expected on Lesvos and Chios, as police and locals struggle with the crisis unfolding on their islands.

A police official in Chios told Greek media that the main police precinct on the island is already full of migrants and there are no other facilities to accommodate new arrivals.

“We don’t know what to do,” he said.