Greeks have behaved with humanity during immigration crisis: EU Commissioner

EU Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic said that the "Greeks behaved with sympathy and understanding to the refugees when the crisis broke out. They wanted to help the refugees although they were hit by the financial crisis and austerity measures imposed on them."

Mijatovic, who made the comments on during an interview with Greek news agency ANA, also referred to the problems that need to be dealt with such as overpopulation.

"This is a situation that needs to be changed," she underlined and added: "In order to change the situation, there are a number of things to be done, such as family reunions, more people to be transferred in the mainland and measures to be taken for vulnerable population such as unaccompanied minors or people with disabilities, and in general population that is most affected."

The EU Commissioner also stressed the importance of solidarity as the refugee-migration issue is not only a Greek problem, but a problem that concerns all Europe.

"The impact of the austerity measures on health and education sectors is dramatic. All the packages of measures that have been adopted have influenced the whole building of society. It is a serious impact I would say, now it is a new era, but that does not mean that everything is good now. Greece is at the beginning of the return to regularity. I urge the Greek authorities to do as much as they can to remedy the situation."

"I am grateful for the fact that the Greek government has opened the doors to me to look at the situation and I plan to come back to Greece to see the course of things," said Mijatovic.