Yiannis Balafas

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.

The leader of the Moria community on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos ended on Wednesday a hunger strike which he had started on Sunday in protest at overcrowding at the Moria reception center.

Greek officials say the government will respect a landmark court decision against a European Union policy that allowed them to keep refugees and migrants on the Greek islands where they first arrived even after they had applied for asylum.