On Wednesday 27 January, the Commission briefed the members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties on the situation on the Greek islands and on the preparation of the new reception centre to replace the Moria camp, which burnt down in September.
Beate Gminder, who heads the Commission’s specialised working group, gave a relatively positive assessment of the situation in the camps on the Greek islands, at least in terms of overcrowding. With 16,850 people having been transferred to the mainland in 2020, some camps have regained sufficient capacity to accommodate the local population, particularly in Lesbos, where there are now more places than people needing to be accommodated.
However, overcrowding continues to be a major concern in Chios and Samos, the official said, and it is essential that the population of the camps on the Greek islands continue to be reduced.
There are a total of 17,005 residents in reception centres on the islands and a total of 64,000 people in centres throughout the country, of whom more than 10,000 have refugee status.
Relocations have also taken place from the Greek islands to member countries, “especially to France, Germany or Portugal”. Out of more than 5,000 promises for relocation made by Member States, 2,269 have been fulfilled, including the relocation of 586 unaccompanied minors.
The Commission will continue to encourage these relocations which “help the Greek system a lot”.
The official also praised the efforts of the government, which in January set up an official specifically responsible for the care of minors. Nevertheless, she had to concede that many people were still staying in temporary camps with fragile infrastructure. Thus, in Lesbos, 6,741 people live in the temporary centre in Mavrovouni and 1,050 in Kara Tepe, which is due to replace Moria and which was hit by bad weather at the beginning of January, showing the limits of this centre.
The camps in Lesbos also face a problem of lead contamination in the soil.
Dutch Socialist MEP Kati Piri does not understand “why, 4 months after Moria, people continue to live in these temporary centres”. She also wonders why people who have been granted refugee status also continue to live in these camps.
Her German colleague from Renew Europe Jan-Christoph Oetjen asked the same question. “Why is the Greek government unable to house them on the continent?”; and “why can’t member countries make more relocation offers?”
“Greece has been violating fundamental rights for some time and refuses to accept small boats; so how can we trust and say to ourselves that the people arriving in the camps are well treated?” said Erik Marquardt (Greens/EFA, Germany).
“Concerning Lesbos, it is a temporary camp; it was built in a hurry and the aim was not to build it there. There will be a reception centre on the island”, said Ms Gminder.
“The situation is far from perfect, but at least people have access to food and showers; this is not the case in all the islands”, she said, referring to the waterproofing work on tents that began in late 2020.
The Commission, the various European agencies and the Greek authorities signed a memorandum at the end of 2020 to build the new centre on the island, which “must meet all European standards” and provide a dignified welcome for its residents, Ms Gminder assured. But it will also have to start applying the rules of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and make it possible to better distinguish between those in need of asylum and those who will have to be returned. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)