Afghans lead asylum seekers
A survey by the United Nations Refugee Agency among migrants and refugees residing at camps on the Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos, Leros, Rhodes and Tilos shows that nearly half (49%) come from Afghanistan, followed by Syria (14%), Somalia (8%) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (7%). Among the migrants, 35% have been granted refugee status, while the rest have not heard definitively about the fate of their asylum applications. Skills-wise, 78% have some sort of education, while 8% (660 men and women) have had a university education. Asked about their jobs in their countries of origin, 19% said they were self-employed, followed by workers in construction and mining (16%), agriculture and food (12%) and merchant and other private enterprises (10%). Professionals such as doctors, lawyers, accountants and information technology workers are also to be found among the migrants and refugees.
Farmers’ protest. Farmers in the Peloponnese are organizing a protest rally in central Tripoli today, calling for measures to reduce their operating costs and increase their profit margins. More specifically, the federation representing farmers in southern Greece is demanding tax-free fuel, lower value-added tax on fertilizers, veterinary medicines and animal feed, cheaper electricity, guaranteed minimum prices on their products and the abolition of the ENFIA property tax. The rally will start at 11 a.m. outside the Tripoli rail station.
Rail link.
The project for the electrification of the railway segment linking the towns of Kiato and Aigio in the northern Peloponnese is expected to be canceled and re-tendered, according to government officials. The project is considered very important for the upgrade of the Athens-Patra link, since the latter, in the western Peloponnese, is the most important port of embarkation for passengers and cargo for various ports in Italy. When the project is finally completed, trains will run on a double line at speeds reaching up to 200 kilometers per hour. The already electrified Athens-Kiato segment is part of the Athens suburban railway.
Folegandros death. Police are investigating the death of a 26-year-old woman whose body was found in the sea off the island of Folegandros on Friday. The woman, from near Corinth in the Peloponnese, was reportedly on holiday with her boyfriend on the Cycladic island. Witnesses last saw the victim get out of her car wearing her backpack, before descending toward a rocky area near the beach of Lygaria in the northern part of the island. Fishermen later spotted her body floating close to the beach. Authorities were looking for her 30-year-old partner. It was not clear if he was with the victim when she went missing.