Protest: Refugees highlight delays in being reunited with family

A group of Syrian boys makes a desperate bid to raise awareness of their plight outside the German embassy in Athens.

The youngsters were protesting against delays in the family reunification process in Germany.

Asylum seekers – mostly Syrian refugees in Greece’s case – are entitled to join family members elsewhere in the EU within six months from the date their request is approved. As many Syrians travelled to Germany to claim asylum when the borders were open at the start of the crisis, a large number of those following behind hope to be reunited with family. However, the German government has significantly cut back on family reunions for refugees arriving from Greece since May.