As the number of refugees arriving to Greece and then moving onward through the Western Balkans continues to dramatically increase, the humanitarian situation impacting them is deteriorating. 

Against this background, UNHCR’s Director of the Bureau for Europe, Mr Vincent Cochetel, and UNHCR’s Director of Emergency, Security and Supply, Ms Terry Morel, are visiting Greece this week to assess the situation and to review the scope of UNHCR’s interventions in support of the authorities, NGOs and civil society. A similar high level mission was conducted last week to Serbia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to where refugees are moving from Greece on their onward journey to other European Union countries.

The mission delegation will hold a Press Conference at the end of their visit on Friday, 31 July 2015, at 13h30 at the Journalists' Union premises, 20 Akadimias Street, Athens, to present their preliminary findings and recommendations. The event is addressed to journalists and media representatives.