Hundreds of Refugees Protest on Greek Island Against Deportation to Turkey

Hundreds of refugees are protesting on the Greek island of Chios against their extradition to Turkey under the EU-Turkey migrant action plan, local media reported Monday.

ATHENS (Sputnik) — In late March, Ankara and Brussels reached a deal to put an end to the so-called Balkan route used by migrants to travel through Greece and Macedonia to wealthy EU states. Under the deal, Turkey pledged to take back all illegal migrants who arrive in the European Union through its border, sending in exchange legal Syrian refugees to the bloc on a one-for-one basis.

According to Greece's Mega TV Channel, the first exchange of illegal migrants for refugees is expected to happen on Monday. Since Sunday morning, dozens of migrants have been queuing at refugee centers to submit an asylum application and block their deportation.

On Sunday night, Chios reportedly saw clashes between police and those trying to prevent the deportations. Similar clashes and protests have become a daily occurrence on the islands of Lesbos and Chios as well as on the mainland, where refugees have become stranded due to the closure of the Western Balkan route.

Last month, Macedonia refused entry to incoming migrants through its border with Greece after other countries along the Balkan migration route, including Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria, introduced similar measures. The closure of borders along the Western Balkan route has resulted in thousands of refugees being stranded in Greece, particularly along its border with Macedonia.