UN urges Greece to improve conditions in refugee camps

ATHENS

The UN's top official on refugees on Wednesday urged Greece to improve conditions in refugee camps, saying Europe must do more for the country.

Speaking to reporters after visiting refugee camps on Greece's Aegean island of Lesbos, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told reporters that the deplorable conditions at the camps need to be improved.

"These living conditions need urgent improvement," Grandi said.

Grandi said he will meet Greek government officials to discuss addressing conditions at the camps.

He said he is "very worried" about the condition of unaccompanied refugee children.

"Europe has to do more for Greece, this is part of the European Union," Grandi also said.

One of Greece’s biggest camps, Moria on Lesbos, has been repeatedly criticized by NGOs for inhumane conditions.

It was designed to host 3,000 people, but more than 15,000 are currently living there in substandard conditions.

Currently, around 35,000 refugees are living on the eastern Aegean islands.

* Writing by Fatih Hafiz Mehmet in Ankara