Recent upsurges in the flow of migrants landing on the shores of Greece's Eastern Aegean islands is causing huge tensions. The numbers are up 200 percent versus the same period last year. Lesvos mayor Galinos, who has spoken out against the government several times, said he will not accept "the effort to turn Lesvos from an island of humanity and solidarity into a prison for thousands of people."

An estimated 4,000 people arrived on the islands in October alone and there is widespread overcrowding at camps especially on Lesvos and Chios. Migration minister Giannis Mouzalas admitted last week that this was a "special phase" in the ongoing migrant crisis and that living conditions in many camps were teetering on the edge of violating basic human rights.

On Chios, the island's mayor Manolis Vournos is furious with the way the handling of the overcrowded VIAL migrant camp. The state had taken control over its management just a few months ago making pledges to wind down operations. According to local reports, the core of the municipal authority's concerns is the non-observance of certain terms of the concession contract, such as the failure to seal off the entire camp so nearby farms and other private business and properties are not affected, as well as the unacceptable, inhumane conditions prevailing.

Amir attack to be investigated

Meanwhile, the controversy over the Afghan student Amir continues with Supreme Court prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou ordering an investigation into last week's racist attack by unidentified assailants on the home of the 11-year-old in the suburb of Dafni. The group caused damage to the apartment, smashing windows with rocks.

Amir was selected in a draw to carry the Greek flag at an Ochi Day parade on October 28 as part of the national holiday celebration. However, he was not allowed to carry the flag and instead carried the school's sign. A previously unknown group calling itself Krypteia on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack, while on Tuesday the local community rallied around the family staging a peaceful protest pledging solidarity with the family and migrants in general.

Amir's mother, Arzu Himayan, sent an open letter to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras asking to be reunited with the family's father who is currently in Germany. "I am a woman with three small children and have no one to protect us; my brother has been living in a hot spot on Lesvos for almost two years in a very bad condition - I need him beside me, so please help me to get him here," she pleaded. "My husband is an asylum seeker in Germany. Please if you can, also help to reunite us, my children need their father." She concluded: "I am not the only one to deal with these problems. Thousands of people live in inhumane conditions on the islands and thousands of others are waiting to be reunited with their families in other countries."