Blockade of the Thessaloniki-Euzonon highway at the height of Polkastro by refugees, with the aim of promoting their request to open the European borders and to be accepted by the countries of central Europe, especially Germany
The peak number of refugees who stayed in Idomeni numbered more than 15.000. Only tears, hunger and rage reside in that miserable, muddy melting pot. It was like a ticking bomb, the issue of hygiene being of particular concern
Afghan refugees break dry tree branches to cook and warm themselves in the Idomeni camp
Blockade of the Thessaloniki-Euzonon highway at the height of Polkastro by refugees, with the aim of promoting their request to open the European borders and to be accepted by the countries of central Europe, especially Germany
For a better future
Since 2014, refugees from Syria, but also from Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries of the Middle East, began to flock to Idomeni (a small Greek village of 150 inhabitants on the border with Republic of Macedonia) in order to cross the Greek borders and enter the Republic of Macedonia.
Both the latter and Serbia to the north are out of the Schengen Area, which is why the refugees prefer this way to reach countries such as Germany and Sweden, so entering again the Schengen Area from Serbia; in case of arrest, they will be sent back to Croatia or Hungary (closer to their desired immigration destinations, especially Germany), and not to Greece, which is farther south.
In 2015, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia decided to guard its borders by military forces in order to prevent the refugees from entering the country, as Serbia also closed its borders. Thus Idomeni became a vast camp, where many refugees entering Greece abide.
The peak number of refugees who stayed in Idomeni numbered more than 15,000. Only tears, hunger and rage reside in that miserable, muddy melting pot. It was like a ticking bomb, the issue of hygiene being of particular concern. The refugees that stayed outside the organized camp used to sleep in wet tents and paper boxes. On the 24th of May 2016, Greek authorities began relocating refugees from the Idomeni camp to processing facilities mostly in and around Thessaloniki.