Seehofer defends German position on Lesbos migrants

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has defended Germany's position in the ongoing migrant crisis on the Greek island of Lesbos on Friday.

Thousands of protesting refugees and migrants left homeless on Lesbos after fires destroyed the notoriously overcrowded Moria camp gathered on a road leading to the island's main town Friday, demanding to be allowed to leave.

Clapping and chanting songs, the protesters, most of whom appeared to be from African countries and Afghanistan, held  up signs pleading for help from Germany, a favoured destination for many migrants and refugees who arrive in Greece from the nearby Turkish coast.

Seehofer said in the Bundestag that if Germany believes it can solve the crisis on its own, "2015 will be repeated, because then there won't be a European solution anymore".

Dietmar Bartsch, from the party "Die Linke" reminded Chancellor Angela Merkel of her own words five years ago and demanded that Germany, which holds the   the EU presidency, helps the migrants and especially the children on Lesbos.

More than 12,000 people who had been living in and around Moria were left homeless by two consecutive fires on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Greek officials said the blazes were deliberately set by some of the camp’s residents angered by isolation orders issued to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after 35 residents were found to have been infected.