The Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas visited refugees’ accommodation centres in Voiotia and Pieria prefectures, where works are being conducted for the construction of accommodation places as part of the second phase of the accommodation project. His first stop was at Oinofyta, Voiotia, and then he visited Moschochori, Pieria, and Petra Olympou.

During his visit at Oinofyta, the Alternate Minister stated the following:

“We visited the accommodation centre at Oinofyta to check the progress of the works. Based on the schedule on Sunday night the main works will have been completed, so from early next week on, the centre will be available for the accommodation of more refugees and migrants.

I wish to thank the officers, women and men of the Armed Forces for their efforts and, of course, these efforts will be continued also after the centre will become fully operational, so that living in this centre will become all the more better and easier day by day. We can already visit one of the rooms of the first school and works will go on.

We saw what else the State can do to help. We are planning what we can do next. It is very important for this area too that it becomes famous for the high quality standards of refugees’ accommodation. We will keep on to this direction.”

Answering a relevant question of a journalist, he stressed:

 “The total number of accommodated persons in Voiotia prefecture is not quite high, if we take into account that at this stage, there are more than 25,000 in the region of Central Macedonia. On the other hand, the centre of Eidomeni has been evacuated, Piraeus is being evacuated too and Elliniko will be also evacuated. Everyone has to lift a burden at first until the settlement all over Greece is completed and until people start to relocate to other European countries.

No number of people to remain in Voiotia permanently has been set, nor is there any reason for them to stay in this area longer. The people of Voiotia, Greek men and women of Voiotia have proven that they offer high level of accommodation to refugees and they address this issue with raised awareness and this is what they will do in the future too.”