The European Commission has stepped up its funding to improve living conditions for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers in Greece, with €115 million in new funding for humanitarian organisations operating in the country. It brings total funding under the Emergency Support Instrument to €198 million.
Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides, who announced this at the Thessaloniki International Fair on Saturday, 10 September, said: “The European Commission continues to put solidarity into action to better manage the refugee crisis, in close cooperation with the Greek Government. The new funding has the key aim to improve conditions for refugees in Greece, and make a difference ahead of the upcoming winter. Over the past months, we have significantly contributed to restore dignified living conditions through our humanitarian partners. Together, we will continue our work until we reach our target”.
The new emergency support comes on top of the €83 million the European Commission has already provided earlier this year to international organisations and NGOs to address the most pressing humanitarian needs in Greece, including shelter, primary health care, psycho-social support, improved hygiene conditions as well as informal education and safe spaces for children and women. Overall, the European Union is providing over €1 billion of support to Greece in tackling current migration challenges.
