The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Greek authorities briefed the relevant parliamentary committee on Thursday 2 April on how the COVID-19 pandemic is being managed in the Greek islands, when 20 positive cases were detected in a camp near Athens and 6 people tested positive on the island of Lesbos, but among the local population and outside migrant camps.
Invited to comment on their actions, the Greek Ministers for Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarachi, and for the Protection of Citizens, Michalis Chrisochoidis, detailed the national measures taken.
Minister Mitarachi, for example, said that 10,000 people had been transferred since the end of 2019 to centres in mainland Greece to alleviate overcrowding in migrant camps on the islands.
With 51 COVID-19 deaths in Greece, the government has taken special measures in the camps, the minister said. New arrivals have been separated from other asylum-seekers and health and medical units have been set up to test migrants in the camps.
On the controversial suspension of asylum applications for one month, decided after the confrontation with Turkey at the end of February (see EUROPE 12438/1), the minister said that the procedures resumed on 1 April and that migrants arriving in Greece can again file asylum applications.
As for unaccompanied migrant minors, who "remain the most vulnerable population", they are taken to "transit centres" to see which ones are eligible for the relocation programme to other Member States (see EUROPE 12446/8).
The programme, which involves 1,600 young people, will start in two Member States "this week or next week at the latest", said Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. Luxembourg and Germany are the most advanced.
The Commissioner recalled on this occasion that eight Member States are currently volunteering to take care of young people in isolation. The reception effort could reach up to 2,000 unaccompanied minors, she said.
Stressing that precariousness was already high in migrant camps before the crisis, Ms Johansson pointed to the risk of a "major humanitarian crisis", which requires "immediate measures" to protect these people.
An emergency action plan has been developed with Athens. Among other things, it aims to resettle very vulnerable migrants in empty housing and to separate them from people. It will be necessary to "multiply" the tests and quarantine people who test positive, the minister said.
In terms of EU aid, the budget announced at the beginning of March of €350 million will support these reception capacities. €35 million will be allocated to the programme for the accommodation of vulnerable people in hotels. €280 million will go towards the construction of five new multi-purpose, standard-compliant reception and identification centres on the Greek islands. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)