Brussels, 15/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 15 February, the European Commission earmarked €12.7 million for Greece, to help the country create an additional 8,000 places for taking care of asylum seekers that the EU wants to remain inside Greek territory. This envelope will come from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and is tied to the commitments made by Greece on 25 October last during the mini European summit on the Balkans route and according to which Athens has agreed, over the long term, to create 50,000 reception places.
This funding will go towards the construction of prefabricated buildings in the Attica and the central region of Macedonia. On the same day, the European Commission also earmarked €10 million for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to help it manage its boarder with Greece. Frontex has already recently provided assistance to Greece in its efforts to control this border with FYROM.
Hotspots to be operational by time of European Summit
At the end of January, Greece chose 15 February as the deadline for finalising the implementation of these hotspots or centres for identifying and registering migrants arriving in the country. The Greek authorities will “formally open” four of these five refugee registration and selection centres promised to the European Union by Wednesday, just before the European summit at the end of the week, according to a government source quoted by the AFP on 15 February.
The centres will “formally open” on the Aegean islands of Lesbos, Chios, Leros and Samos, the first port of call in Europe opposite the Turkish coast, for current migratory flows. The last of the centres that Greece is committed to open will be in Kos and according to the source quoted by AFP, “will be set up a little later” due to construction delays and opposition from the local council and inhabitants, who have denounced it as a threat to the local tourist industry.
Each of the centres or prefabricated camps are expected to take in 1,000 arrivals over a 72 hour period in which they are registered and their fingerprints taken. Attempts will be made to identify jihadists and a selection of migrants eligible for asylum would be made and those subject to returns will be sent back. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)