Greece initiates transfer of refugees to secluded facilities

Greece initiates transfer of refugees to secluded facilities

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Greece is planning to start deporting around 200 refugees every week, according to the Greek immigration minister, Notis Mitarachi. This announcement comes amidst a plethora of violent incidents, growing frustrations among locals, and the suffering of refugees in overcrowded facilities on the Aegean islands over the past few months.

Mitarachi revealed that closed-type refugee camps would be built on five of the Aegean Sea islands starting in March. These camps are anticipated to accommodate up to 20,000 refugees, with entry and exit regulated and limited. Refugees won't be allowed to leave the camps during night hours.

Greece functions as a transition point for thousands of refugees seeking to reach the EU from Turkey. The number of refugees arriving in Greece hasn't been this high since the Europe-Turkey agreement was established in March 2016.

In 2019, approximately 74,613 refugees arrived in Greece, with 10,551 entering in September alone, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) official data. Greece currently hosts around 90,000 refugees, including over 5,000 unaccompanied children, making it the highest among Italy, Spain, Malta, and Cyprus combined.

The conditions in which refugees are housed in Greece have been heavily criticized. Camps on the Aegean islands, for instance, have been described as the worst humanitarian sites in the world, with up to six times their capacity being occupied and 300 people sharing a single toilet. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have called for the immediate transfer of refugees to the European mainland, whilst Amnesty International raised concerns about Greece's plans to deal with refugees.

Critics argue that rather than addressing core issues like medical access, translation services, and dignified living standards, expanding closed facilities continues to perpetuate rights violations under the guise of "managed migration."[2]

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Greece's plans to establish closed refugee camps are surrounded by controversy due to ongoing issues like overcrowding, healthcare shortages, and a lack of accountability in current camp conditions. Key concerns involve:

1. Overcrowding and Inhumane Conditions: Current camps struggle with overcrowding, with unaccompanied children sleeping on floors in shifts due to a lack of beds.[1] Residents endure inadequate heating in winter, no cooling in summer, and pest infestations, despite continued protests.[2]
2. Healthcare and Communication Failures: Camps lack sufficient medical staff, particularly psychiatrists, forcing residents to use Google Translate for critical health consultations.[2] This situation has contributed to tragic outcomes, including the death of a five-year-old child whose parents relied on translation apps during medical visits.[2]
3. Suspension of Financial Support: The Greek government halted cash assistance to asylum seekers for nine months as of April 2025, exacerbating vulnerabilities by limiting access to medications and transportation to hospitals.[3] Medical care remains contingent on self-funded taxi rides, a financial burden for many refugees.[2]
4. Lack of Accountability: Authorities have yet to address reports documenting these conditions, despite previous pledges to improve them.[2] The history of systemic neglect outlined in recent monitoring reports raises concerns about the integrity of closed camps.[1][2]
5. The Greek immigration minister, Notis Mitarachi, has announced a plan to deport around 200 refugees every week, a measure that has been met with criticism due to ongoing issues in current camp conditions.
6. Greece's decision to build closed-type refugee camps on five Aegean Sea islands has been surrounded by controversy, with concerns about overcrowding, healthcare shortages, and a lack of accountability in current camp conditions.
7. The inhumane conditions in these camps have been heavily criticized, with unaccompanied children sleeping on floors in shifts due to a lack of beds, and residents enduring inadequate heating in winter, no cooling in summer, and pest infestations.
8. Camps also lack sufficient medical staff, particularly psychiatrists, forcing residents to use Google Translate for critical health consultations, a situation that has contributed to tragic outcomes, including the death of a five-year-old child.
9. The Greek government has halted cash assistance to asylum seekers for nine months, exacerbating vulnerabilities by limiting access to medications and transportation to hospitals, with medical care remaining contingent on self-funded taxi rides.
10. Authorities have yet to address reports documenting these conditions, despite previous pledges to improve them, raising concerns about the integrity of closed camps.
11. The proposed camps are anticipated to accommodate up to 20,000 refugees, with entry and exit regulated and limited, and refugees won't be allowed to leave during night hours.
12. Greece functions as a transition point for thousands of refugees seeking to reach the EU from Turkey, with the number of refugees arriving at record highs since the Europe-Turkey agreement was established in March 2016.
13. The general news and politics community are closely following this development, with organizations like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Amnesty International raising concerns about Greece's plans to deal with refugees, questioning the wisdom of the policy-and-legislation these measures represent.

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