The EU says it will pay €2,000 (£1,770; $2,225) each to migrants in overcrowded camps on the Greek islands willing to go back to their home countries.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson announced the scheme in Athens on Thursday. It was agreed with the Greek government.

She said it was temporary – open for one month only – and only for migrants who arrived before 1 January.

She said 5,000 migrants would be eligible for the “voluntary return”.

This month, hundreds of migrants and refugees have reached Greek islands near Turkey by boat, increasing the pressure on struggling reception centres. The camps on those islands already have more than 37,000 asylum seekers, though they were designed for about 6,000.

Ms Johansson said seven EU member states had agreed to take in at least 1,600 unaccompanied children from the camps, seen as especially vulnerable.

Many of the migrants are Syrians fleeing the civil war, but there are also Afghans, Pakistanis and West Africans. It is not clear how many would qualify for refugee status.

Aid agencies consider Syria too dangerous for migrants to be sent back there, but some other countries of origin, such as Pakistan, are considered safe enough.

The situation is also acute on the Greece-Turkey land border, where Greek police have used tear gas and water cannon to keep migrants out.

The latest surge in numbers at the Greek border came after Turkey announced that it would no longer stop them trying to enter Greece.

Source: Read Full Article