×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Monday
16
Mar 2026
weather symbol
Athens 16°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Greece

Confidential paper on refugees says EU countries refuse to send staff to Greece

They fear for the safety of their staff in Greek hotspots

Newsroom October 29 01:59

According to a confidential document, German magazine “Spiegel” claims to have in its possession, EU member states refuse to send specialised staff to help Greece deal with the numerous refugees hosted in the country, citing overcrowded hotspots and enraged migrants in the reception facilities. The EU-Turkey refugee agreement provides for the deployment by EU member-states of specialised staff to the overstrained first entry countries of Greece and Italy to alleviate their burden. The document, which derives from the European Council, describes the situation in the hotspots in Greece as unstable that could “create problems to the national staff, the EU services and NGOs”. Greece has been bearing the brunt of the refugee and migrant flows from the Turkish coasts, with the economically strained country trying to pool whatever resources it has to successfully deal with the dire situation of processing asylum applications and readmissions of refugees and migrants to Turkey. Speiegel points out that even though the EU wants migrants whose asylum applications are rejected to be returned back to Turkey, currently the procedures are stalling as the Greek authorities are overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. An illustration of this is that on the island of Lesvos every 9 employees are assigned to examining the asylum applications of 6,000 refugees and migrants! “The EU member-states have responded to very small degree to requests for the deployment of specialised staff so far”, the magazine underlines. A German politician for the Greens said the conditions on the Greek islands is shameful for the EU.

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#eu#german#greece#hotspots#Lesvos#magazine#migrants#refugees#spiegel
> More Greece

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Supplementary investigation into company that transported the Tempi wreckage – 17 people called to provide explanations

March 16, 2026

Japan is the country of honour at this year’s TIF

March 16, 2026

Androulakis: Turnout exceeded all expectations, 174,813 voted to elect PASOK congress delegates

March 16, 2026

U.S. Treasury Secretary: The U.S. allows Iranian tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to maintain global supply

March 16, 2026

Smallpox in sheep and goats: alert ahead of Easter, zero relaxation of measures and intensified inspections

March 16, 2026

The blockade in the Strait of Hormuz does not only affect oil: 30% increase in fertilizer prices, concern about food production

March 16, 2026

Pediatric Surgeon and Professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Giannis Spiridakis, dies

March 16, 2026

Asian countries are the biggest losers from fuel transport disruptions

March 16, 2026
All News

> Greece

Supplementary investigation into company that transported the Tempi wreckage – 17 people called to provide explanations

The request for unsworn explanations concerns 17 individuals, including private citizens, civil servants, and elected officials from the Region of Thessaly

March 16, 2026

Smallpox in sheep and goats: alert ahead of Easter, zero relaxation of measures and intensified inspections

March 16, 2026

Pediatric Surgeon and Professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Giannis Spiridakis, dies

March 16, 2026

Anti-Money Laundering Authority: GSEE’s Panagopoulos faces felony charges for failing to declare €3.2 million

March 16, 2026

Brake on bookings and standstill in tourism, but Greece holds an advantage over the Eastern Mediterranean and Emirates – What industry experts predict

March 16, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα