Greece ‘panic’ as European nation faces refugee emergency’ as arrivals double

The number of children arriving in Greece and claiming asylum has doubled in 2024, leading to a “children’s emergency” according to a refugee organisation.

The Home Project, an organisation that supports refugee and migrant children in Athens says that there is a need for “safe zones” to be created to help and protect the hundreds of unaccompanied children arriving in the country each month.

Sofia Kouvelaki who leads the organisation said: “What we are seeing amounts to a children’s emergency of the kind that we haven’t witnessed in years.”

Ten years ago, Greece was at the epicentre of a refugee crisis as nearly a million asylum seekers crossed its borders with the aim of reaching countries in the EU and a decade on, the crisis is as severe as ever.

In the first 11 months of 2024, the number of children arriving doubled as more than 13,000 minors arrived in the country according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

The number of children landing has also risen significantly with the number jumping from 1,490 in 2023 to approximately 3,000 so far this year.

Kouvelaki believes that more need to be done as she added: “There are a huge number of kids turning up on boats every day and an urgent need for the creation of more safe spaces to house them.”

Turmoil in the Middle East and the creation of new routes from North Africa into the country are believed to be contributing significantly to the uptick in arrivals.

Greece’s migration minister, Nikos Panagiotopoulos that southern European routes into mainland Europe are likely to carry on being targeted by migrants through 2025.

He told the Greek parliament: “The extensive geopolitical unrest in our broader region, where three wars are waging, the most recent in Syria, combined with the climate crisis, is forcing many to abandon their homes simply to survive.

“All these factors have led to a significant increase in migration and refugee flows since late 2023.”

It is estimated that by the end of the year, 60,000 people will have arrived in Greece in 2024, pushing processing camps to the brink of capacity.

The large increase in arrivals coincides with cuts to migration spending by Greece’s centre-right government which has resulted in fewer protective shelters for those in need.

There was outrage earlier this month after an Egyptian teenager was beaten and raped following a row outside a mobile phone shop. The case shone a light on the lack of protection being given to minors forced to fend for themselves and prompted refugee charities to urge Greek authorities to prioritise children and introduce child-protection measures.

Willy Bergogne, Europe director at Save the Children said: “Children fleeing humanitarian crises arrive in Greece hoping for safety but find themselves trapped in yet another crisis.

“Reception centres meant to shelter them have been places of fear and isolation, with violence, alarming living conditions and a lack of support services.”