Several European countries will soon take over the first minor refugee children without relatives from camps in Greece. It would be a total of 1600 children. This is reported by aid organizations Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland, Defense for Children and the Refugee Foundation.
In addition to Luxembourg, Germany, France, Portugal, Ireland, Finland and Croatia will soon also be taking care of some of the children. The Dutch Council for Refugees reports that Luxembourg will take over the first children before Easter.
In early March, aid organizations called on Dutch municipalities to receive at least 500 children from overcrowded Greek camps. Thirty Dutch municipalities showed themselves willing to do this, the organizations say. “These municipalities are sending the strong signal that there is indeed enough support to solve this.”
In October, Greece asked European Member States to receive 2,500 of these unaccompanied refugees living in and outside the camps. The aid organizations would like to see the Netherlands also accept some of the refugee children, but the government does not intend to do so.