Photo credit: Euro News
The Greek coastguard has brought around 800 migrants to Crete and the small island of Gavdos over the last 48 hours, according to the Greek public broadcaster ERT.
They were apprehended after apparently setting off from the Libyan port of Tobruk in fishing boats. The majority are young men who claim to be from North African countries, according to the coastguard..
The island’s temporary camp in Agia is facing severe overcrowding and unacceptable conditions, according to local authorities. The number of migrants on Crete is about 1,000, ERT reported.
Prevalent issues include inadequate sanitation, a lack of air conditioning, mattresses placed on the ground and the spread of skin diseases, according to the coastguard officers’ union.
Tensions among the migrants are reportedly high. Officers have warned that the situation is “out of control” and that staff are overwhelmed with just one officer in place for up to every 100 people. The government plans to bring hundreds of migrants from Crete to the mainland on Monday, according to Greek media reports.
Greece has provisionally suspended asylum applications for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa since July 11, for three months. The parliament recently passed legislation criminalizing unauthorised stays. It imposed at least a three-year imprisonment for people without the right to stay who do not agree to voluntary departure.
The Migration Ministry said the measure is intended to protect public order and national security.
The UN Refugee Agency says, nearly 11,500 migrants from North Africa had arrived on Crete this year by September 7. It marks an increase of more than 300% compared to the same period last year, the government said.
