The operation to decongest Crete of migrants continues, with daily ship routes arriving at Piraeus, transporting them from the island. Daily, 100 people will depart from the island, with efforts to complete their relocation to facilities in mainland Greece by the end of next week.
Operation to decongest Crete continues
Specifically, on Sunday morning (13/7), 104 people arrived at Piraeus port from Chania and 95 from Heraklion. The mayor of Rethymno, Giorgos Marinakis, referring to the issue, stated according to ertnews: “the island’s carrying capacity is already exhausted and the pressure it faces is disproportionate to any structure we could create”.
In Kitrenosis at Latzima Rethymno, 179 migrants from Egypt, Bangladesh and Sudan remain, with no plan for when they will leave Crete. The deputy regional governor of Rethymno, Mary Lioni, stated that “we continue to say as a Region and as Local Government, we do not turn our backs on the problem”.
Migrants refused to eat in protest
Expressing their opposition, on Saturday evening (12/7) at least 250 migrants in Chania refused to eat because the order set for departures from Crete was not followed.
It is recalled that SYRIZA PS president Sokratis Famellos, during his visit to Rethymno, characterized the migration pressure as a negative development for residents, institutions and the migrants themselves. As he characteristically stated: “SYRIZA is present in the needs of institutions and in the demands and obligations our country has. But it is against the policy of Mr. Plevris and Mr. Mitsotakis who left Crete and the country unprotected and unprepared”.
