Unaccompanied minor

Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas Tuesday inaugurated a new center for unaccompanied migrant minors in Paiania, east of Athens, saying the facility would host up to 100 children, while noting that hundreds of others remain in reception centers across the country.

Greek authorities have opened a new reception center for unaccompanied refugee children near Athens, following extensive criticism of existing facilities.

Greek authorities face a range of problems in dealing with the refugee crisis, Immigration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas admitted in comments to Parliament on Friday while calling on opposition parties to back the government's efforts to tackle the crisis.

European officials are calling on Athens to take action by the end of this year ahead of the review and reactivation of the Dublin Regulation, which would lead to EU member-states returning migrants to Greece.

Authorities and humanitarian aid staff on the island of Lesvos were working on Tuesday to rebuild the Moria camp for migrants that was ruined in a large fire on Monday night.

The European Commission announced 115 million euros in extra funding Saturday to help Greece deal with migrants, a day after a damning report into conditions migrants face.

The new EU money aims "to improve conditions for refugees in Greece, and make a difference ahead of the upcoming winter," said EU aid and crisis management commissioner Christos Stylianides.

Some 88,300 unaccompanied minors sought asylum in the European Union in 2015, 13 percent of them children younger than 14, crossing continents without their parents to seek a place of safety, EU data showed on Monday.

Some 380 unaccompanied minors remain in closed hot spots, detention centers and even on the streets, as a program to house them in rented apartments has yet to materialize due to staff shortages and despite increased funding by the European Union, authorities said on Wednesday.

Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas said the government is "concerned, not proud and not happy" following clashes between migrants and riot police at a refugee registration center on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos on Tuesday evening that resulted in 15 people being injured.

Over 95,000 unaccompanied minors have applied for asylum in Europe in 2015, a four-fold rise compared to 2014, according to the British Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Sweden recorded the highest number of unaccompanied child asylum applications with 35,369, followed by Germany (14,439), Austria (9,331) and Hungary (8,804).