Economic support to islands receiving most migrants

During a press conference on the refugee issue, Christodoulakis noted that officials of the Economy ministry with experience in European programmes will be transferred to to the Migration Policy ministry to cover the needs.

Alternate Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas earlier said that the measures taken by the caretaker government are decongestion measures of the islands in order to keep the flows to levels that local communities can deal with, without creating sites of congestion in Athens.

"Four million refugees and migrants in Turkey may now be waiting to get across, and I am obliged to reveal these data and inform out partners," Alternate Shipping Minister Christos Zois said at the press conference.

According to Zois, 36 percent of the total of 240 vessels of the Coast Guard are immobilized, while four out of seven aircrafts are also immobilzed, and only one out of six helicopters fly.

Alternate Citizen Protection Minister revealed that the Greek police owes 9 million euros to suppliers for feeding refugees. He added that five Greek islands receive the bulk of the refugees, Lesvos (accepts 50 pct), Kos (28 pct), Chios (14 pct), Samos (12 pct) and Leros.