During high summer and Crete’s peak tourist season, the Greek holiday island is facing a growing number of irregular migrants arriving by boat from Libya. Local authorities are challenged by the need to find spaces for temporary shelters and provide other supplies for those, mostly young men, coming in.
Residents of the island are concerned about the impact on tourism and public safety. Some fear what they perceive as an invasion, while others worry about health and sanitation issues.
Humanitarian groups criticize the inadequate and unsustainable conditions in the migrants’ shelters, warning that this is not a temporary crisis but a long-standing issue. Crete’s authorities, overwhelmed and financially unsupported, point to the national government for failing to provide necessary infrastructure or assistance.
This video summary was created using AI. A journalist edited it before publication.