Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-05-26

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] The evacuation process at Idomeni is carried out in a model way, Alternate Migration Min Mouzalas says

[02] Thessaloniki mayor talks about PM, elections and refugee issue to ANA-MPA radio

[01] The evacuation process at Idomeni is carried out in a model way, Alternate Migration Min Mouzalas says

He underlined that "priority was given on Idomeni in order to stop the shame of favela" and added "we will clear Idomeni and we will make sure that it will not be created again."

Mouzalas reiterated that the evacuation of former international airport Elliniko and Piraeus port will follow and rejected claims about a health bomb in Elliniko saying that full health coverage is provided.

Asked on the future of the 55,000 migrants and refugees now in Greece, he stressed that a large number of them, around 10,000-15,000, will make use of the relocation programme. A large number of them will also make use of the voluntary return program, he said. Some of them will stay in Greece, the minister added, noting that 10,000-15,000 correspond to Greece. Regarding the undocumented migrants, he said that they will be returned to their countries if they do not ask for their voluntary return.

Regarding the plans for the integration of refugees that will stay for some time in Greece, Mouzalas announced that a working group between the Migration Policy ministry and the Education ministry was set up last week in order to solve the issue of schooling for refugee children and estimated that the issue will have been solved by August. "This is the difficult stage of the integration; we are not yet ready for it, but we are preparing ourselves," he added.

[02] Thessaloniki mayor talks about PM, elections and refugee issue to ANA-MPA radio

"Tsipras is just fine, the way I see it. The situation has forced him onto this course. Tsipras thought - as did everyone in SYRIZA - that they could do whatever they wanted in a system that is unbelievably tough. He didn't get away with and compromised. The biggest problem in Greece today is that people have lowered their demands and do not react," he told the station's 'APEritta' programme.

According to the mayor, however, early elections "would lead nowhere." Greece should finish up with the process of the review, finalise the situation concerning the debt and "let those that had handled the issue finish it," he said.

Talking about Mitsotakis and his role as ND leader, Boutaris said it was "too soon yet to say whether Kyriakos has been fully accepted by New Democracy, by the whole system."

"I expect him to renew ND. I don't vote for ND but it is a party that might not govern today but will govern tomorrow. It should be a serious party," he said.

Asked about the refugee issue and the evacuation of the camp at Idomeni, Boutaris noted that the new camps set up were "incomplete" and that the refugees were still living in tents. He also complained about their continued presence in the port.

"The port was a temporary situation but it is almost becoming permanent. We are pressing for them to leave," he said.

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