Police operations to evacuate the Idomeni refugee camp continue, with over 2,000 people having been moved from the area since it started on Tuesday, May 23. According to Greek police, a total of 42 buses have transported 2,000 refugees and migrants to different organised hotspots around the city of Thessaloniki in Macedonia, northern Greece.

The operation is expected to last until the end of the week. So far, there has been no tension among refugees and migrants reported. The railway station near Idomneni is estimated to be completely cleared by the end of the week. The blockade has cost nearly 6mnl Euros to transport companies, while the representative of the Association of Freight Forwarders in Northern Greece, Anestis Sachpelidis, said the tracks should be open for use by Friday, May 27.

Meanwhile, the government’s decision to imposes a media black-out on the operation by banning access to journalists to cover the event has drawn widespread criticism from the media professionals. The Athens journalist’s union ESIEA released a statement accusing the government of opting to hide the refugee crisis behind the face of Alternate Minister Nikos Toskas. Major opposition party New Democracy issued a press release underlining the government’s decision had tarnished the international image of Greece. ‘In a state of Justice, the government should not fear freedom of press’, read the statement.