21,000 refugees entered Greece in one week

Around 20,843 refugees entered Greece last week (from August 8 to 14) by sea, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced in Geneva, reports the Patria News Agency.

This is half the total number of refugees who entered Greece by sea in 2014, which rose to 43,500, UNHCR adds, noting that "their influx is growing week by week." In July alone, 50,242 refugees entered the country, or more than in the whole of 2014.

"The vast majority of these people should be granted refugee status," the agency adds.

"UNHCR warned months ago about the worsening refugee crisis on the Greek islands," the UN agency further states, calling for reception capacities on the islands and in the rest of the country to be expanded "as soon as possible."

The agency "recommends that the Greek authorities establish a single body to coordinate emergency action" to resolve this crisis and to "organize an appropriate humanitarian aid system."

European countries should help Greece in this task, UNHCR further emphasizes.