Alternate Minister of Migration Policy Koumoutsakos: Samos hotspot situation 'unsustainable'

Alternate Minister of Migration Policy Giorgos Koumoutsakos visited on Friday the refugee reception and identification center at the island of Samos, where described the situation as "unsustainable".

In a statement, Koumoutsakos expressed his concern on conditions there, calling the town of Vathi "a besieged city".

According to a press release, Koumoutsakos stressed that "our intention and commitment is to radically change this unacceptable image on the islands" and summed up the government's policy of "accelerating procedures for processing asylum applications, either granting or rejecting asylum."

He stressed that it is "unreasonable and unacceptable" for someone who applied for asylum three years ago to be scheduled for the first interview in 2021.

Finally, the minister explained that the speeding up of these procedures will allow the Greek state to "distinguish those who have a justified refugee profile and are entitled to asylum status, from those who illegally enter the country," and underlined that "the former have the right to stay, while the latter must leave as soon as possible."