Coronavirus crisis and refugee camps on the Aegean Islands

Subject: Coronavirus crisis and refugee camps on the Aegean Islands

Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, sanitary conditions were catastrophic in the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos as well as in other camps. Various press reports and reports by NGOs show that the situation has still not improved: the water supply hardly works and infectious diseases are rampant and the work of organisations on the ground to alleviate existing diseases is being impeded. Moreover, preventive measures to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic are simply not possible in the completely overcrowded refugee camps - in Moria over 20 000 people live in a camp intended for 3 000.

What is the Commission’s response to the latest reports on the situation in the Greek refugee camps?

What measures are being taken to ensure that overcrowding in the refugee camps is finally eased and the life-threatening risk posed by infectious diseases is significantly reduced?

Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission

(12 August 2020)

The Commission supports the Greek authorities, operationally and financially, in implementing an emergency response plan to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in the camps. In this context, the priority is to ensure the immediate evacuation of vulnerable persons to dedicated places outside the camps, including to hotels on the islands or mainland, to apartments or to open reception facilities.

The first transfers to safe accommodation have already taken place and the process continues as fast as possible. In addition, there are separate areas for new arrivals and containers, consumables, medical equipment and other necessary facilities have been made available for quarantine and treatment purposes. To this end, the Commission and the Greek authorities work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration as well as with non-governmental organisations.

Moreover, under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, Member and Participating States have offered over 90 000 items of in-kind assistance to Greece mainly in the areas of mobility, health, sanitation and shelter. Following the ongoing second activation of the Mechanism on 16 April 2020, Greece has received offers for 168 living and 13 ablution containers from Austria, shelter and sanitary items from Czechia, five medical stations from France and the Netherlands, as well as nine multi-functional containers and 35 prefabricated accommodation units from Denmark.

Home Affairs funds are available to support further measures within their scope, notably to enhance reception conditions including the provision of medical care to migrants. In addition, the Emergency Support Instrument could be used to address the specific COVID-19 needs.