[01] PM Tsipras: Humanitarian crisis in Idomeni a European issue
[02] Tsakalotos and Stathakis meet with institutions on non-performing loans
[03] Alt. Citizen Protection Minister rules out police's violent intervention in Idomeni
[04] The institutions must agree on what they want from Greece, says Alt.FM Mardas
[05] Messages are very positive for the Greek tourism, says Tourism Min. Kountoura
[06] 7,614 refugees and migrants on the islands of northern Aegean
"The Greek state despite the economic difficulties has managed to increase the hosting and accommodation possibilities for refugees, we are constructing approximately 10,000 positions this week and this is something that no non-governmental organisation can do" noted Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras welcoming European Commissioner responsible for the Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides at the Maximos mansion on Friday.
"Therefore, this serious job carried out by the state mechanism in Greece must have the substantial and broad support from the European Commission as well as from any country that wants to contribute because I believe that the humanitarian crisis currently underway in Idomeni is not a Greek matter but a European matter and we must face it jointly" added Tsipras.
A meeting between the institutions and Economy Minister George Stathakis and Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos is currently underway.
The meeting will focus on the non-performing loans.
Alternate Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Toskas ruled out the possibility of a violent intervention in Idomeni refugees' camp and predicted that the condition will return to normal in 1-2 weeks.
Speaking to private MEGA TV on Friday he said that the government's aim is the refugees to understand that the Balkan Corridor has closed with the responsibility of the northern European countries and that they must follow the directions and go to the closest camp where they will be able to find food and shelter until the situation is clear.
Toskas revealed that 68 human traffickers have been arrested since January and regarding the flow from Turkey he said that they continue and estimated that Ankara "is trying to negotiate until the next EU Summit".
He underlined that there are no new corridor, neither through Albania nor through Italy and clarified that "Albania simply adopted the stance of those countries that are trying to make a different Europe that does not respect and does not consider".
On the NATO's operation in the Aegean he said it has started but is not complete yet. "We will see when it is in full operation what results it will bring".
�he institutions should make clear what they want from Greece and they must agree on what they want, said Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas speaking on Friday to ANA-MPA's radio "Praktorio 104.9".
"We have signed an agreement which foresees some things in order the review to close. Whatever other thoughts outside the agreement and outside this part of the agreement are something to be discussed in the future" he said and underlined that what interests Greece is the first review to complete as soon as possible.
"The messages are very positive for the tourism. Greece is moving in very positive rates, the reservations are increasing and we estimate that 2016 will be a very good year, better than 2015" said Alternate Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura speaking on Friday to ANA-MPA's radio "Praktorio 104.9 FM".
She reassured that the refugees' influx will not affect the tourist arrivals on the Aegean islands, because as she said, the problem has been solved with the hotspots.
"There was a problem in the past but today these island are ready to receive the tourists, things have changed" said Kountoura adding that "a normality prevails on the islands, a guarantee for safety and for the country's image and this is something we have transferred to all the tour operators and tourist agencies" noted Kountoura.
The number of stranded refugees and migrants on the islands of the northern Aegean increased. 7,614 identified persons were on the islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos on Friday ready to leave for Piraeus port.
821 arrivals were recorded on the island of Lesvos in the last 24 hours.
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