“Our projection this year, based on the data we have so far, is that at most around 50,000 people may enter our country either from the coast of Asia Minor, that is, from Turkey’s shores to our islands, or from the North African coast towards southern Crete. This is the maximum estimate. I remind you that in 2016, 1.3 million people entered the country,” emphasized the Minister of Migration and Asylum, speaking on Action24’s morning TV show.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos also mentioned that, at present, the capacity in facilities nationwide, excluding the islands where we are certainly at maximum capacity due to arrivals, is around 60%. “Therefore, there is still room in facilities across the country to host any potential war refugees,” he added.

Referring to the pressure faced by the southeastern Aegean islands, the Minister noted that capacity in the southern Aegean facilities is at about 100%, but clarified, “I am not using the term ‘temporary facility.’ Firstly, if we talk about a temporary facility, local communities may perceive it as permanent, since nothing is more permanent than the temporary. The facilities, if you will, also involve an element of registration and identification, which means several days of stay, and that is not something we are considering. What we are thinking of doing in Rhodes, and if needed in Crete—though that is not yet warranted, we are examining scenarios, and as you rightly say, the country must be prepared if flows increase—is to create temporary holding areas, like large detention centers,” he added.

Regarding the capacity of these centers, he estimated, “We expect around 500 people. Now, of course, if there were a surge of tens of thousands, I don’t think we should make such predictions, as that would be entirely extraordinary.”