At first look, Vagiohori it is an ideal place to feel at like home
A stunning view of the beautiful Volvi, Greece’s second largest lake. Nearby there is also a small forest, the area is quiet because almost deserted. For vacationers Vagiochori, is 50 kilometers west of Thessaloniki City, the perfect destination for a day trip.
Unfortunately Vagiochori is in northern Greece and the place where after Idomeni’s tent camp evacuation transferred around 500 Kurdish refugees.
But when they arrived at the desolate destination, they refused to get out of the buses:
The police had escorted them in a nowhere, accused the refugees…
They demanded to be moved to another place.
Two families got out anyway, and decided to stay.
Hussein, Aisha, Radin, Nazira and her five children aged between one and a half and seven years of age were just too tired to continue.
“We were physically and mentally at the end, especially the children. Therefore we decided to stay,” says Aisha.
The families are from the Syrian Aleppo, their homes were bombed there.
Since that day they are on the run.
And now these nine people have arrived at a place that looks like a prison.
The plans envisage alleged that some 1,500 refugees are housed in tents in Vagiochori.
But still there are only these two Kurdish families who have to adapt to the desolate area.
Unlike travelers the refugees have no money.
But even if that would – it would hardly use them something.
In Vagiochori there is no single business. Six kilometers in Askos the things looks better.
In the picturesque village there is a tavern, a bakery, three supermarkets, a pharmacy, a school, almost 1,500 people live here.
No car, no taxi, and bus terminal.
If you haven’t a car, it is difficult to come by after Vagiochori Askos.
The bus from Thessaloniki here has its terminus, just as it is in Askos. Two bus lines from the big city, but they are not linked. A taxi (if there were any) would help, but which refugees themselves could afford that? A walk is also illusory.
From Vagiochori to Askos is uphill, the road has many dangerous curves.
“It is impossible to take the children,” says Radin.
They therefore tried in the lined-up tents set up, which were built on the site of a former elementary school.
It does not exist in spite of the nearby forest a single tree, which donates the heat shadows that hygienic conditions are miserable.
Officially all asylum locations have all the required facilities. But the reality is different.
And where the refugees can apply for asylum here, they do not know.