Migrants walk near the entrance of a refugee and migrant camp in Samos Island , Greece, October 15, 2019.
"These actions are designed to show our determination in dealing with the migrant-refugee crisis," said Stefanis, who is also deputy defence minister. The Greek government said it would replace the camps with new closed facilities for identification, relocation and deportation with a capacity of at least 5,000 people each.
In the new camps, asylum-seekers will stay in containers and have access to refectories, schools, and places of worship, Stefanis said.Better health facilitiesFour years after the 2015 refugee crisis, Greece has again become a key point of entry for asylum-seekers to Europe - and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to "open the gates" for millions of refugees if it does not receive more EU aid.
The new conservative government which came to power in July has already passed a law stiffening asylum requirements for migrants, which was criticised by rights groups as harmful to the interests of vulnerable asylum-seekers. The government will also improve health facilities in areas receiving asylum-seekers, and set aside a fund of 50 million euros for works in municipalities who agree to cooperate.