The Greek government has announced a series of emergency measures to deal with the flood of refugees and illegal migrants who land in Greek shores. In the last 48 hours alone, 838 people tried to enter Greece coming from the east Aegean Sea and were arrested by authorities in various islands. More specifically, 349 landed on Lesbos, 114 on Inousses, 61 on Chios, 128 on Samos, 39 on Pharmakonisi, 50 on Leros, 42 on Agathonisi, 37 on Ai Stratis 37 and 18 on Simi. At the same time, hundreds of migrants are traveling from Mytilene, Rhodes, Chios and Samos in Piraeus to central Athens. They are gathering at Omonia Square and other downtown squares without shelter and food. The phenomenon is reaching alarming proportions and the Interior Ministry announced a series of emergency measures regarding accommodation and documentation of migrants in cooperation with prefectures and regional authorities. First there is a plan of small accommodation structures in various regions to house 2,238 refugees. In Attica there are 650 places, 148 in eastern Macedonia, 365 in central Macedonia, 159 in Thessaly and 185 in western Greece. The plan also includes housing in empty apartments, food supplies, clothing supplies, health care and medicine, social and psychological support, translator services, free passes for mass transportation. The total cost of the program for 5.5 years is estimated at 22,082 euros per person and it will be partially covered by European Union funds.
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