The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will expand its programmes in Greece in response to the influx of migrants into the country, official representative of Tommaso Della Long told.
“We will expand our operations (in Greece). As a first step, we will transfer CHF 300,000 (USD 314,000) to the Greek Red Cross to prepare for the influx of migrants”, – Della Long said.
Della Longa noted that at the moment neither IFRC nor the Greek Red Cross has access to the border areas, where migrants from Turkey have accumulated. According to him, the possibility to work in these areas is being discussed with the Greek authorities.
The agency’s interlocutor also said that the IFRC has not yet recorded the use of tear gas in clashes between migrants and Greek border guards.
Turkey, after the situation in Idlib, Syria escalated, said it could no longer contain the flow of migrants and refugees and opened its borders with the EU, after which thousands of migrants rushed to Greece. Hundreds of police officers are on the border and Greek army units have been tightened.