Greece mulls emergence housing measures after migrant spike

ATHENS – Greece's migration minister says the government is considering emergency measures to house migrants and refugees confined to Greek islands over the winter months following a roughly four-fold increase in the number of daily arrivals from Turkey.

Yannis Mouzalas said Wednesday that average arrivals had jumped since mid-August from about 50 per day to more than 200. He added that the government could use ferries or military ships to provide additional housing space if alternatives provided by local municipalities were exhausted.

Under a 2016 deal between Turkey and the European Union, migrants and refugees reaching Greek islands from the Turkish mainland are not allow to travel to the Greek mainland before their asylum claims are examined.

Several dozen migrants protested Wednesday in Athens against delays in relocation to other EU countries.