Greece's prime minister has criticized Ankara for its threat to reopen its borders to refugees. More than 300 people arrived on Greek islands over the weekend, prompting Athens to ask EU nations to share the burden.
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Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has sent a strong warning to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, telling him not to threaten Greece and Europe in order to secure more money from the European Union.
Speaking in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Sunday, Mitsotakis said Erdogan was welcome to discuss any renegotiation of the agreement with the EU, but "not with threats."
"It can't be possible for a country to refuse to take in 50 or 100 children," he said. "Some states want all the benefits of freedom of movement afforded by the Schengen agreement, but refuse to share burdens."
Fears of a 2015 repeat
More than 330 people arrived on the shores of several Greek islands from Turkey over the weekend. According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, 8,103 people arrived on Greece's Aegean islands in August, up from 3,200 in the same month last year.
Registration camps on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos are once again overfilled, with many fearing a return to the 2015 refugee crisis.
Many of those arriving this weekend were children and teenagers. There are at least 24,000 people living in the overcrowded camps, and around 40% of these are under the age of 17, according to UN organizations and Greek authorities.
On Friday, German government spokeswoman Martina Fietz said the increase in migrants "needs to be taken seriously," but stressed that the latest arrival numbers were significantly lower than during the 2015-2016 surge.
Refugees in Greece concerned about state of EU
Thousands of refugees and migrants make a new start in the EU every year. After the recent European elections, Marianna Karakoulaki spoke to some of those who have made Greece their home about the problems they see.
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
'There is no life for LGBT refugees'
Pedro, an actor and LGBT activist, fled Lebanon due to safety concerns. He doesn’t see much hope in Greece. "I left because Lebanon was not safe for me as an LGBT and [being] HIV positive. But Greece isn’t much different," he told DW. But his biggest concern is the future: "Even if I get asylum in Greece life will not be good, because there are no jobs, the language is difficult."
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
Fighting for their rights
Manar fled Syria in 2016 and now learns Greek and works as an interpreter with the Greek NGO Solidarity Now. "In Greece you have to count on yourself to support yourself and your family," she told DW. "If I look at the future of the Greek children, I can't find a very bright future for them so for sure I can't find any future for mine."
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
Combating nationalism and climate crisis
Foivos has been in Greece since the 1980s when he fled the Syrian regime and came to study law. He now works as an interpreter at the Refugee Day Center Alkyone, and was a candidate in Thessaloniki's local elections. "The two biggest issues that Europe has to face now is the rise of nationalism and climate change," he told DW. "Poverty and misery leads to nationalism."
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
A Europe for everyone
Since Suhaib fled Iraqi Kurdistan 18 months ago, he has been active in volunteer groups as a way to give something back to those who first helped him. "Fascists in the past killed millions, but after World War II Europeans volunteered in order to rebuild Europe," he says. "My message for European leaders would be to try to make a Europe for everyone."
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
Losing its meaning
Fahima from Afghanistan has been in Greece since 2004, and now works as an interpreter for the Refugee Day Center Alkyone. Her biggest fear is the rise of fascism. "During the Greek government of 2012-2014 fascists became stronger. For this reason we had to leave Athens," she said. "Things in Europe will become worse from now on because of the far right. It now seems to be losing its meaning."
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
Uncertain future
Malaz (not his real name) came to Greece in 2016 with his family. His sons started speaking Greek soon after they arrived, so they decided to stay in the country. "I am afraid of the rise of the far right," he told DW. "Things will become very difficult for Greece. If the EU wants to help refugees they should create jobs and offer education."
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
EU is not doing enough
Bagher, who works as an assistant kindergarten facilitator, arrived in Greece in 2015 and was stuck in the country due to the EU's policies. "In the beginning Greece was a door but people got stuck here," he said. "But people need jobs and housing. Greeks don't even have jobs, how will we?" Even though Bagher remains optimistic, he doesn't think the EU is willing to help refugees.
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
Europe's societies at risk
Mojtaba has been in Greece for over three years. He's currently at a Greek school and dreams of becoming a footballer or a dentist. He sees the rise of fascism as one of Europe's biggest problems, but not the only one. "Right-wing parties rise and this is not good for societies," he said. "The extreme right will destroy the face of Europe."
Image: DW/Marianna Karakoulaki
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Cash for containment
Turkey has taken in 3.6 million Syrian refugees since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, more than any other country. Following a 2016 agreement with the EU, €6 billion was earmarked to assist the Turkish government in its support for the refugees and indirectly stem onward movement to Europe.
Greece's recent change of government has led to a more hard-line approach to those arriving on its shores. The new conservative government has called for anyone who fails to be approved for asylum in Greece to be deported to Turkey.
