Daniel Esdras, Chief of IOM in Greece noted that almost half of the 6,000 applications will have been approved by the end of June, when the program, which is 75 percent funded by the EU, is due to end.

In a press conference held by UN refugee agency in Greece, Mr Daniel Esdras, said that  “In the framework of the current humanitarian crisis, the Program of Voluntary Returns implemented by IOM consists a very important way out for third country nationals.”

“This program should be supported in two ways in order to be able to provide assistance to as many third country nationals as possible: first, bureaucratic obstacles should be overcome so as to avoid delays and second contributions from national funds should be reduced,” he added.

Meanwhile authorities are struggling with the handling of asylum claims submitted by migrants remaining in Greece. The head of the Citizens’ Protection Ministry’s asylum service, Maria Stavropoulou, stressed the lack of resources for the new Service, due to the limited staff of 15 people only  in the public sector. For his part, the head of the UNHCR in Athens, Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, noted that only 30 or 40 of the hundreds of migrants who line up outside the capital’s Aliens Bureau on Petrou Ralli Street every week manage to submit asylum applications, Kathimerini writes.

Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, in a UNHCR press conference referred to the need to support the Asylum Reform.  Moreover he mentioned that thousands of migrants are trapped in Greece without legal documents, highlighting the need to register the whole migration population and to encourage voluntary returns of migrants in conditions of safety and dignity.

Mr. Tsarbopoulos also highlighted the escalation in incidents of racist violence that threaten the rule of law and democratic normalcy. UNHCR is currently implementing a campaign against racist violence.