Controversial ex-minister Tasia Christodoulopoulou, who held the first-ever “migration policy” portfolio in a Greek government during radical leftist SYRIZA seven months in power, repeated on Thursday that refugees and migrants congregate in a handful of Athens squares “for only a few hours a day”.

Christodolopoulou’s previous “gems” on the subject, while she was alternate minister, included the now infamous “migrants sunning themselves” in urban squares, as well as migrants / refugees serving as … tourist attractions for foreign tourists.

On the day of her most recent glib statement, some 2,000 third world nationals were camped out in the rough in Athens’ Victoria square. Hundreds were also sleeping in makeshift camps in another two main Athens squares.

High-pitched criticism of the now ex minister, one of the few unelected office-holders in the Tsipras government, has cut across the political spectrum. Some accused Christodoulopoulou and SYRIZA of indirectly opening the “floodgate” to millions of Syrian war refugees and third world nationals waiting in Turkey to enter Europe clandestinely. Other severe criticism focused on the SYRIZA government’s failure to gauge and manage the migrant / refugee crisis when it appeared to explode in the spring.

Nevertheless, Christodoulopoulou was recently rewarded for her tumultuous tenure in office with placement on SYRIZA’s state deputies’ list, with a high probability of being elected to Parliament — and without the need for even one vote in her name in the ballot box.

Meanwhile, ferry boats continued to ferry the third country nationals from the migrant-flooded Greek isles to Piraeus.

Here are some scenes from Victoria Square, in central Athens, on Thursday:

Meanwhile, the evacuation of refugees and would-be immigrants from Lesvos continued on Thursday, with nearly 5,000 off-loaded at the port of Piraeus, a number that is expected to continue over the next few days.