(AFP) Greece said Sunday it hoped thousands of asylum seekers left homeless by fires at Europe’s largest migrant camp could be rehoused within a week to end a crisis that has seen protesters clash with police.
Asylum-seekers — including the elderly and small children — have been sleeping rough on Lesbos island since Wednesday, when some 11,000 fled the overcrowded Moria camp after it was gutted in apparent arson attacks.
Authorities have now set up a new 3,000-capacity camp at Kara Tepe, a few kilometres (miles) from the destroyed camp, regularly criticised by the UN and rights groups for overcrowding and dismal sanitary conditions.
Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said it would take five days to provide tents for all the homeless, and officials said asylum procedures would be accelerated.
