MSF: One year after the EU-Turkey deal: Migrants and asylum seekers are paying the price with their health

Since March 20, 2016, when the EU externalized its borders by striking a deal with Turkey, people fleeing war and persecution have faced extremely tough conditions on the Greek islands.

MSF has tried to shed a light on the living conditions of asylum seekers in Samos. More than 1,100 people are living in the hotspot there, without sufficient information about their future. There are major delays in their processing, due to a lack of manpower to handle their applications.

Unfortunately we were unable to film or take pictures of living conditions inside the Samos hotspot because the administrator there did not allow us to do so.

Even though the hotspot doors are open people cannot afford to live anywhere else. Many of the people there have been stuck for up to nine months, with no clear idea of what their future holds.

Asylum seekers stuck in Samos are emotionally exhausted. Many of those we met just want to be reunited with their families elsewhere in Europe. They dont want to remain in a country that does not have the means to properly host them.

MSF: One year after the EU-Turkey deal: Migrants and asylum seekers are paying the price with their health

15/03/201719/03/2017 ENstaff aylum seekers, Medecins Sans Frontieres, migrants, MSF, refugees

MSF calls on the EU and member state leaders to radically change their approach to migration and ensure a swift end to the unnecessary suffering.

society

MSF: The alternative to the inhumane should not be the unknown for Idomeni refugees

26/05/201626/05/2016 ENstaff Greece, Idomeni, Medecins Sans Frontieres, MSF, refugee crisis, refugees

As the eviction of residents from Idomeni camp continues, MSF denounces the forced movement of thousands of refugees, the lack of information provided about their destinations and the restrictions imposed on humanitarian assistance.

Walid, his pregnant wife and their two children left Iraq in February this year. It took them a month to reach the Greek island of Samos through Turkey, and after suffering a short yet traumatic stint of detention in Turkey, they are now in a makeshift detention center, waiting desperately for information on what their future holds. Im doing my best, but is this a way to treat human beings? They are supposed to protect us, not put us in a big cage like animals, without any information on when our case will be processed.
For more details see: https://lc.cx/4BCy

society

MSF calls for immediate opening of “hotspots”

19/05/201619/05/2016 ENstaff Medecins Sans Frontieres, migrants, MSF, refugee camps, refugee crisis

Two months after the signing of the deal by the European Union and Turkey, the situation continues to deteriorate for migrants incarcerated on the Greek islands, according to Médecins Sans Frontières.

culture events

Megaron’s Music for Easter

25/04/2016 ENstaff Athens Concert Hall, Doctors without Borders, Easter, MSF, Yannis Behrakis

Haydn’s devout work, “The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross” is combined with the photos of Yannis Behrakis in an event at the Athens Concert Hall.

society

Greece: MSF ends activities inside the Lesvos “hotspot”

23/03/201623/03/2016 ENstaff hot spots, Medecins Sans Frontieres, migration, MSF, refugee crisis

“We took the extremely difficult decision to end our activities in Moria because continuing to work inside would make us complicit in a system we consider to be both unfair and inhumane,” said Marie Elisabeth Ingres, MSF Head of Mission in Greece.

A Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) and Greenpeace rescue team responded to a sinking rigid inflatable boat (rhib) carrying 45 Afghan refugees crossing from Turkey to the north shore of Lesvos, Greece. On arrival to the scene the poor quality inflatable was taking on water. The people on board were having problems with the outboard motor as it was poorly fitted and could not be restarted. It was soon obvious to the Greenpeace/MSF crew that the sponsons were rapidly losing air and the lives of the people were in immediate danger.

The Afghans in the vessel started screaming, please help us, we're sinking! We don't want to die! The rescue boats responded quickly and effectively to the situation as people started to panic and tried to jump from the boat. Babies and children were held in the air to alert the crew while parents cried out, take the children, we have children on board! The women and children were grabbed first and transferred into two Greenpeace/MSF boats that were flanking both sides of the sinking boat. All people were successfully rescued and transferred to Molyvos harbour where response teams were on standby.

european union society

MSF: “European policies failed to address the refugee crisis”

20/01/201619/01/2016 ENstaff Medecins Sans Frontieres, migration, MSF, refugeecrisis

Médecins Sans Frontières denounced the European Union’s catastrophic failure to respond to the humanitarian needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Europe in 2015, in a new report released on Tuesday.

interviews people

Ambassador of Norway:”The challenge for the Greek economy is its competitive edge and its business climate” [interview]

07/06/2016 ENstaff

The Ambassador of Norway in Athens, His Excellency Jørn Eugene Gjelstad, spoke to EmbassyNews.net and commented on the current developments in Greek and European politics, the economy and the refugee crisis.