Irish minister visits refugee centres in Athens, Piraeus

Fitzgerald spoke with refugees and volunteers at the centres, hearing their concerns and their desire to reach a country where they can settle permanently and in safety. With Mouzalas, she also spoke with representatives of some 700 Yazidis living at the Skaramangas centre, including two Yazidi families from Iraq whose applications for relocation to France and Germany had been rejected.
"Yazidis are under constant persecution and cannot return to their homeland," their representative said.
In statements to the media, Fitzgerald said that Ireland will accept 1,200 refugees from Greece by the end of September 2017 under the relocation programme,  thus meeting its obligation on a European level. She emphasised that European solidarity in managing refugee flows was essential, since it was impossible for a country to face such a huge influx unaided. She also praised the efforts of the Greek people to manage such a large number of people with complex needs.
Mouzalas said the Irish minister's presence was a "active form of solidarity" and that they would discuss the possibilities for relocating refugees to Ireland. This was especially significant, he added, because Ireland was not currently obliged to accept relocation due to special conditions.
The two minister additionally discussed the possibilities for programmes targeting asylum seekers not eligible for relocation, such as non-Syrian unaccompanied minors or Yazidis from Iraq.
"They need special programmes and this is something that Europe needs to discuss at this time," Fitzgerald said.