Balafas: Frustration of migrants' hopes, not conditions in Moria hotspot, caused Monday's rioting

Commenting on the rioting that broke out in the Moria refugee and migrant camp in Lesvos on Monday, Balafas noted that conditions in the camps had greatly improved and were no longer the root cause of such outbreaks. The incidents on Monday, he said, were triggered by a decision to return a migrant to Turkey.

"What happened was that, during the transfer of a migrant to the Pre-departure Centre, after the conclusion of the process for examining his right to asylum at primary and secondary level, his application was rejected and there was a decision for his return," Balafas said. The outbreak was dealt with quickly and the facility returned to normal operation, he added.

"The problem is that these people are experiencing the thwarting of their plans. The traffickers give them the idea that they can reach northern Europe via our country - something that cannot happen when our borders are closed," the minister pointed out.

While the population in the Moria facility was now much smaller, there had been a shift in the ratio of refugees to migrants, with more arrivals of migrants that did not qualify for asylum.

Source: amna-mpa

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