Greece to Build Permanent Migrant Centre to Replace Moria

Greece says it will build a permanent reception centre for migrants and refugees on the island of Lesbos, to replace the destroyed Moria camp, BBC reports.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the new centre was a chance to reset policy on handling migrant arrivals.

The overcrowded camp burned down last week, leaving more than 12,000 people without shelter or proper sanitation.

Its residents, however, say they want the chance to be resettled in other European Union countries.

Since Moria was destroyed, migrants and refugees have been protesting against plans to build another camp.

Locals on Lesbos are also opposed to a permanent centre, saying that another camp would be too much of a burden on the small island.

Announcing his plans, the prime minister said: "What happened in Moria, which is a tragedy, must be seen as an opportunity.

"First of all, as an opportunity to reactivate Europe in the direction of solidarity to Greece, and to adopt a common immigration and asylum policy at a European Commission level.

"The second opportunity out of this tragedy is to create on Lesbos a new permanent reception and identification centre that will not carry the negative aspects and problems of Moria - which is identified, and rightly so, with the mismanagement of the refugee issue."