BRUSSELS — Migrant centers in Greece and Italy meant to fast-track the arrival of people seeking sanctuary in Europe are overwhelmed and urgently require more experts, particularly to help vulnerable children traveling alone, European Union auditors warned Tuesday. In a new report, the auditors said that two more centers known as “hotspots” are needed to process migrants in Italy and that facilities on Greek islands where people arrive from Turkey must be improved. While the hotspot system has helped manage the problem short-term, migrant arrivals are unlikely to ease soon. The hotspots in Greece and Italy are designed to process a total of about 8,000 people in a few days but are routinely dealing with 15,000-16,000 migrants. The centers — four in Italy and five in Greece — are seen as a key part of the EU’s response to the refugee emergency.

Source: Washington Post April 25, 2017 09:47 UTC