Kos Mayor: Process of Helping Migrants has Begun

Harbor, Kos.

With the Greek island of Kos having been in the news in recent days due to an influx of undocumented migrants reaching its shores, the mayor of the southern Aegean island offered an update on Monday.

Eleftherias square in Kos town.

According to an announcement, the update has been released in order for tour operators and travel agents to be able to accurately inform all potential visitors to Greece.

“We are pleased to say that the process of helping the migrants who recently arrived on the Greek island of Kos to move on has begun”, Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis notes. “With the health and safety of the refugees our first priority, the majority have now been supported in travelling to Athens, where their application for asylum will continue.”

The humanitarian process of facilitating the migrants’ onward journey in seeking asylum within the EU is, therefore, well underway, the announcement reads.

“Every effort continues to be made to support the migrants,” Mr Kyritsis continued. “And I’m particularly pleased to say the experience has allowed Greeks to, once again, display their well-known characteristics of hospitality and caring.”

The mayor added that there are many stories of residents, hoteliers — and even tourists — offering food and clothing to the migrants.

“In every other way, Kos has continued to function as the very popular tourism destination that it is.”