Balafas says migrant numbers on islands will drop

Deputy Migration Minister Yiannis Balafas has reiterated the government's commitment to reduce the number of migrants and refugees on the Greek islands from 17,000 to 10,000 by the end of September.

In an interview with the Efimerida ton Syntakton newspaper published on Saturday, Balafas said refugees and migrants will be transferred to the Greek mainland, which is already under pressure from crossings over the Evros land border.

"We are reopening several camps that had been shut down, we are increasing capacities and we are covering vacancies in apartments," he said.