Greek Minister Vows Action to Relieve Migration Strain on Samos

Migration and Asylum Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos reaffirmed the government’s commitment to easing migration pressures on the island of Samos during a visit on Tuesday.

Speaking after meetings with local authorities, he stressed the priority of supporting the local community while ensuring the gradual decongestion of the island’s migrant reception facility.

“Our goal is to have fewer than 3,000 people in the Samos facility by next week,” Panagiotopoulos stated, emphasising that the government is implementing regular transfers of asylum seekers to mainland facilities. He acknowledged that the closed and controlled migrant centre on the island has been under strain, particularly in recent months.

To address these challenges, the minister outlined a two-pronged approach: relocating both unaccompanied minors and the general migrant population to the mainland. Additionally, he underscored Greece’s commitment to increasing returns of irregular migrants whose asylum applications have been denied, in cooperation with European border agency Frontex.

“For us, security is non-negotiable,” Panagiotopoulos said, adding that despite a reduction in migration flows in January, human smugglers continue to endanger lives.

His visit to Samos aimed to assess the progress of migration policies and strengthen coordination with local authorities. The Greek government has been working to balance border security with humanitarian obligations, particularly on frontline islands such as Samos.

Source: pagenews.gr