EU launches new humanitarian program for refugees in Greece

BRUSSELS, July 27 (KUNA) -- The European Commission announced on Thursday new emergency support projects worth 209 million euro (USD 244 million) to help refugees in Greece.
This includes a program to help refugees and their families rent urban accommodation outside the camps and provide them with cash assistance.
The move marks a change from previous humanitarian projects which mainly provided support for accommodation in camps and the provision of direct supplies.
"Today we are opening a new chapter in the lives of refugees in Greece. Our new funding is a game changer on how we deliver aid to improve people's lives," the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides commented.
Overall, the European Union (EU) has mobilized over 1.3 billion euro (USD 1.5 billion) of support until 2020 to Greece to help manage migration and the external borders, through various kinds of funding. Currently, over 62 000 refugees and migrants mostly from Syria are stranded in Greece. (end) nk.msa