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The Greek government on Saturday (August 31st) announced a series of measures to deal with the influx of migrants from Turkey. More than a dozen boats arrived Thursday in Lesbos in a few hours. This year Greece has become the first gateway for migrants. Nearly 600 people have arrived on the island of Lesbos, where, as on the neighboring islands, the capacity is overflowing.
Government meeting emergency, convocation Friday of the Turkish ambassador in Athens, the authorities do not hide their concern. They ask Ankara to ban the departure of migrants as required by the agreement concluded in 2016 with the European Union.
In the small village of Skala Sykamineas north of Lesbos, the scene that took place on Thursday evening awakens the memory of summer 2015 , when the population joined by many foreign volunteers welcomed every day up to 1000 migrants fleeing the Syria Iraq and Afghanistan mainly.
In a few hours, 13 boats arrived on Thursday. In all more than 500 people including 240 children were taken care of in a transit camp near the village. These people should reach the center of Moria , but in this center of accommodation and identification of Lesbos more than 10,000 people are already piling up, four times more than the expected capacity, in deplorable conditions.
► See also: Migrants in the Mediterranean: "Greece has reached its limits"
On Saturday in emergency, the government announced a few measures: the transfer of several thousand people to the north of the continent, the acceleration of the processing of asylum applications and the reduction of the possibilities of appeal. Finally, the reinforcement of border patrols of Frontex.