ATHENS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlined a program on Sunday aimed to support the 4,000 unaccompanied minors among refugees and migrants living in Greece.

"These little souls of the world can't become victims of the guilty of this world. For this reason, I personally take over their case and concentrate all jurisdictions to the prime minister's office," Mitsotakis said in an e-mailed announcement.

The program entitled "No Child Alone" foresees the transfer of all unaccompanied children and teenagers in special small facilities where they will be provided accommodation in better conditions, food, healthcare, education and psychological and legal assistance so they can be reunited with relatives who have reached other European countries.

Approximately 60 such centers are already in operation in Greece hosting some 1,200 minors under initiatives by the International Organization for Migration and NGOs.

Currently, according to government sources, about 2,500 unaccompanied minors are living inside refugee camps and 1,300 are struggling to survive outside organized reception facilities.

According to NGOs unaccompanied minors are an easy prey for criminal networks.

"We can't let them be lost in the exploitation and the crime," Mitsotakis said, stressing that criminals who take advantage of children "should be aware that the state will chase them relentlessly and will punish them without any mercy."

The Greek prime minister added that the government will cooperate with the European Union, the UNHCR, international organizations, NGOs, agencies and institutions that are interested.

The program will be financed by the EU's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund which already supports similar centers, as well as private foundations. Enditem

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