United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Migration Ministry said Friday that it had "no knowledge" of a report by an international organization castigating its policy on and handling of migration, responding to a news story published in Kathimerini, though it failed to respond to the issues raised in the document.

Greece's Migration Ministry said on Friday it had "no knowledge" of a report by an international organization castigating its policy on and handling of migration, responding to a news story published in Kathimerini.

It said the same applied to the UΝ refugee agency (UNHCR), and the International Organisation for migration (IOM).

The US government will provide 2.9 million dollars in financial assistance to Greece to improve the living conditions of unaccompanied minors and support the islands against the Covid-19 pandemic, it was announced by Alternate Minister for Citizens' Protection Giorgos Koumoutsakos and US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt following a meeting on Thursday.

About 11,000 recognised refugees are facing an uncertain future as they will gradually have to leave their current accommodation facilities starting in June, as part of the Migration Policy Ministry's plan to replace them with asylum seekers from the islands, in a bid to decongest the local camps.

Despite a dip in arrivals of migrants from Turkey in recent months, the number of asylum seekers in Greece is significant, totaling 120,000, according to data from the United Nations refugee agency that was made public on Wednesday.

The Council of Ministers has allocated BGN 860 568 to international organizations with a leading role in the fight against COVID-19. These include the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday discussed a program for the relocation of unaccompanied refugee minors from Greece to other European countries in a phone call with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday discussed a program for the relocation of unaccompanied refugee minors from Greece to other European countries in a phone call with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.

Switzerland has agreed to take in 22 unaccompanied migrant children from Greece, it was announced Thursday following a telephone conversation between Alternate Minister of Migration and Asylum Giorgos Koumoutsakos and his Swiss counterpart Mario Gattiker.
Switzerland said it will also contribute 1.1 million Swiss francs to support Greece in managing the migrant/refugee crisis.

Twenty unaccompanied refugee minors were scheduled to leave the overcrowded camp of Moria on Lesvos island on Tuesday for mainland Greece, from where they will depart for Germany and relocation there on April 18.
In addition, another 20 asylum applicants are also leaving for Piraeus through a program of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, to be housed in facilities on the mainland.