#stylida

Greece has announced it will open two new "transit camps" on its mainland for migrants and refugees.

The goal: To speed up the transfer of asylum seekers from desperately overcrowded camps on the northeast Aegean islands of Lesbos, Chios and Samos.

There has been a huge spike in arrivals in recent weeks, which has put a massive strain on resources and has caused tensions at existing camps.

Locals concerned over potential permanence of camps

The Greek Citizen Protection Ministry said the new units would be temporary, serving only as transit centers. But locals are concerned that the centers could eventually turn into permanent camps as the influx of migrants into Greece, especially from Turkey, continues.

One of the two camps will be located in a defunct military base in the village of Karavomylos in the region of Fthiotida, while the second is planned as an addition to an already existing pre-departure center in Corinth in the Peloponnese region.

The government wants both facilities to start operating by the end of the month. They are supposed to accommodate approximately 1,000 migrants and refugees.

Government in crisis?

Greece's government, led by the New Democracy party, is already facing the wrath of the beleaguered local communities on the islands, and it now risks upsetting more citizens as it struggles to cope with the migrant and refugee influx.

Virginia Stergiou, mayor of the town of Stylida, which is located just north of the village of Karavomylos where one of the transit centres is set to open, has spoken out against the move.

Mayor of Stylida, former actor, Apostolos Gletsos, said he will give his salary as award for any information that will lead to the perpetrator who poisoned dogs and possibly other animals in the area.

At least four healthy stray dogs found a horrible death in Marini area when unknown perpetrators threw baits soaked with poison. The coward murdering of the dogs took place yesterday, Friday.

The vice president of the Animal Welfare society of Fthiotitha, Aggela Bartzoka, said the impact of such poisoning act can be seen still in the days to come and called on the prosecutor to intervene.

Speaking to Epsilon TV, mayor Gletsos promised to give one month salary to any information leading to the perpetrator. Stressing that he would accept information given even anonymously, the mayor said he knew who was behind the murder of the stray dogs, he only needed solid evidence in order to bring this person to justice.