President urges more EU help for child refugees

On the occasion of World Refugee Day on Saturday, when migrants demonstrated for greater rights in Athens and other Greek cities, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou underlined the need for greater support from the European Union for unaccompanied minors.

In a post on Facebook, Sakellaropoulou called on EU member-states to demonstrate greater solidarity by helping refugee children, referring to her recent visit to a shelter for unaccompanied girl refugees in Ilion as a “rare and moving experience.” Every humane society has an obligation to protect such children, she wrote.

The relocation of child refugees from Greece to other EU countries is to resume this week, starting with 25 children who will head to Portugal on Saturday. “As the restrictions are easing, we’re getting prepared for the main phase of the program,” EC spokesperson Adalbert Jahnz said last week.