Refugee-migrant issue top concern for Greek citizens: survey

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ATHENS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The continuing flow of thousands of refugees and migrants in overcrowded reception centers in Greece is currently the major concern for Greek citizens, according to an opinion poll published on local daily "Vima" (Tribune) Sunday.

Some 33 percent of respondents in the poll, conducted by Metron Analysis polling firm, identified the refugee-migrant issue as the most alarming concern at the moment, while 28% said it was the economy and 14% unemployment.

More than 80,000 refugees and migrants are currently stranded in Greece, according to official statistics. Until October this year, Greece recorded 46,100 new arrivals, an increase of 24 percent compared to 2018, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Although the number of new arrivals has declined dramatically compared to 2015 when thousands of people would land on Greek islands per day from Turkey seeking refuge from warzones and poverty, still hundreds keep risking their lives to reach European soil.

More than one million refugees and migrants arrived in Greece over the past four years, and most of them continued their journey to other European countries until the closure of borders along the Balkan route in the winter of 2016.

The Greek government has stepped up efforts to improve their accommodation, renewing calls to other EU countries to share the burden and find ways to jointly address the challenge more effectively.

Apart from the flow of migrants, the Greek government has been wrestling with high unemployment rates in the aftermath of financial crisis.

The unemployment rate has dropped from 28 percent at the peak of the crisis a few years ago to 18 percent lately, however, the wounds of years of steep recession and harsh austerity are still open.

Acoording to the survey, should general elections were held today, the conservative New Democracy party which won July's elections, would win again garnering 37.6 percent of votes.

Radical Left SYRIZA would follow with 21.3 percent and the centre-Left Movement of Change (KINAL) with 6.2 percent.

The Communist Party (KKE) would receive 4.8 percent of votes, the leftist MeRA25 party 3.8 percent and the nationalist Elliniki Lysi (Greek Solution) 4.2 percent. Enditem

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