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ATHENS, Nov. 1-- Greek Migration Minister Yannis Mouzalas outlined on Wednesday the government's plan to improve the living conditions of thousands of refugees and migrants stranded in Greece ahead of winter, pleading to Europe and Turkey for more efforts to keep alive the 2016 deal aimed to curb flows into Europe and share the burden. During a press briefing in Athens the Greek official said that Greece intends to create among other measures more reception centers on the Aegean Sea islands and the mainland to decongest the existing camps, as well as house people on ships if deemed necessary. Local authorities objected to the creation of more hotspots on the islands last year calling instead for the transfer of more people to the mainland. However, under the 2016 Europe-Turkey agreement refugees and migrants reaching the islands from cannot travel to the mainland until their asylum bids are examined. The Greek Minister voiced concern during the briefing over the spike in the flows from Turkey since August. Following the implementation of the Turkey- EU deal the number of daily arrivals had dropped by 97 percent compared to the 2017 levels, he noted. However in September this year on average 214 people per day reached Greece up from 56 on average per day in March 2017. "We are concerned with the increase. In our view the EU-Turkey agreement is still in effect from Turkey's side. We have increased our diplomatic contacts and pressure so that both parties, Europe and Turkey, will meet their commitments," Mouzalas said. | 
