- Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GREECE-MORNING Families wait to board floating migrant centre
- Date: 15th August 2015
- Summary: KOS, GREECE (AUGUST 15, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS SHIP DOCKED AT THE PORT VARIOUS REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS WAITING TO GET INTO THE SHIP / SLEEPING ON THE GROUND YOUNG GIRL SLEEPING ON THE GROUND YOUNG GIRL WITH BABY IN HER ARMS FAMILY GATHERED AND SITTING ON THE GROUND WITH YOUNG GIRL AND BABY CHILDREN SLEEPING ON THE GROUND SHIP DOCKED AT THE PORT SHIP CR
- Embargoed: 30th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAAZTEPU0N0Q4MWD6FRIVFRX43X
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Refugee and migrant families in Kos slept on the ground and gathered to wait outside the cruise ship Eleftherios Venizelos on Saturday (August 15) morning.
The huge passenger ship docked on the Greek island on Friday (August 14) to serve as a floating reception centre and dormitory.
Greece, whose parliament on Friday approved an 85 billion euro ($95 billion) bailout from foreign creditors, is struggling to cope with tens of thousands of desperate migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia even as it seeks to avoid financial meltdown.
Kos, within sight of Turkish shores, has found itself on the front line of the crisis as new migrants arrive in rubber dinghies at the rate of hundreds a day.
The white-painted ANEK Lines vessel, paid for by the Greek government, will provide assistance exclusively to Syrians.
Standing near the ship, Afghan migrant Yussein told Reuters that his people were having problems because they cannot access the new migrant centre.
"Afghanistan, no Afghans, no Iranian. No tickets, no people, free. People from Afghanistan and Iran have problems. No tickets, no food. This is problem," he said.
Authorities said people fleeing Syria's civil war would be treated as refugees but those of other nationalities, including Africans, Iraqis, Pakistanis and many others, were considered migrants.
Many of those arriving in Italy and Greece are intent on reaching northern Europe, and the priority of the authorities on Kos is to move them to other parts of Greece.
Police Major General Zacharoula Tsirigoti said 1,900 Syrians would leave on Friday (August 14) night on passenger ferries to Athens. But the mayor said around 800 migrants were arriving each day on Kos, one of Greece's most popular holiday destinations. At least 4,000 are now camped out on the island. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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