The Greek government announced a legislative act for the requisition of properties, sites and land for the creation of closed centres in the eastern Aegean islands, in its efforts to more effectively address the immigration issue.

According to spokesperson Stelios Petsas, the act “empowers the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum to seize, in the public interest, necessary property and land for crisis management in order to address the urgent need to avoid putting public health at risk”.

The sites to be seized are:

1. Karavas location, Municipality of West Lesvos.
2. Location of Kritikos Lakos / Iira (“17”), Municipality of Chios.
3. Location of Zervos (adjacent to construction site), Municipality of Eastern Samos.
4. Army compound Lazari, location Pyli, Municipality of Kos.
5. Location Lepida, Municipality of Leros.

According to the government spokesman, there was an exhaustive dialogue with the relevant regional and local authorities, as well as the request of the Northern Aegean Region to declare the islands in a state of emergency.