Migrant crisis: Greece ready to house more on islands

Greece is starting to register migrants at four new reception centres on islands near Turkey, in line with a demand from the EU. Five were supposed to have been completed by the end of last year. The fifth - on Kos - is not yet ready.

   On Tuesday Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos visited the new centres - called "hotspots" - on Leros and Chios. Two more are on Lesbos and Samos. Greece says the influx of migrants from Turkey has diminished in recent days.

   Converted shipping containers and prefab shelters are being used to house thousands of migrants on the Greek islands. The EU says they must all be registered there and fingerprinted before going anywhere else.

   Last year more than 850,000 migrants - mostly refugees fleeing war and abuses in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan - entered Greece as a gateway to the EU. Greece has been heavily criticised by EU partners for failing to register many of the migrants before they travel north through the EU. Germany is the target destination for most of them. EU border staff are helping Greece now.

Πηγή: bbc.com