Greece will set up two temporary migrant detention centers on the island of Crete to cope with a spike in arrivals from North Africa, officials said, despite tougher migration laws introduced earlier this year.
The decision followed a meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Crete Regional Governor Stavros Arnaoutakis in Athens. Mitsotakis had hinted at such facilities during a parliamentary debate in July, drawing criticism from local officials.
No details were given on the location, capacity or funding of the planned centers.
A makeshift reception site in Agyia, in Crete’s Hania region, has been under heavy strain after taking in more than 1,000 people over the weekend, including 570 who landed on the small islet of Gavdos on September 14-15. The site, an exhibition center, saw clashes late Tuesday, with reports citing disputes over food and demands by some migrants to leave.
With no timeline for transfers to mainland facilities, local authorities say the situation is becoming unsustainable.
“There is also a problem with the personnel in charge of guarding them, the coast guard officers and the police. We cannot have 1,000 people and only five officers to guard them,” Arnaoutakis said.