The list of funding received by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) active in the migration sector in Greece has been made public.
The relevant document was submitted to Parliament by the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, in response to a question tabled by the president of the political party “Niki”, Dimitris Natsios.
According to official data, the total amount of NGO funding from the EEA Financial Mechanism for the period 2014–2021 amounts to €16,670,162.92, while €50,099.82 has come from foreign donations and contributions.
The largest share of funding comes from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) for the 2021–2027 programming period, totaling €175,000,000, co-financed by national resources and the European Union.
It is noted that all funded NGOs are registered in the Ministry’s NGO Registry and are subject to management and financial audits, including on-site verifications, recovery of funds, or even revocation of funding in cases of irregularities.
The 24 NGOs that received funding
The list submitted by the minister includes 24 organizations, with detailed funding amounts per beneficiary, as recorded by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
The grants cover actions related to housing, accommodation, social reintegration, psychosocial support, legal aid, education, and integration of migrants and refugees.
Below are the 24 NGOs funded under the AMIF Programs for 2021–2027 (co-financed by the EU) and the Sectoral Development Program of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum 2021–2025:
| NGO | Total Funding (€) |
|---|---|
| Praksis (Programs for Development of Social Support & Medical Cooperation) | 7,221,243.00 |
| Solidarity Now | 2,092,102.35 |
| Arsis – Social Organization for Youth Support | 22,481,663.95 |
| Educational Development Ploigos AMKE | 365,464.00 |
| Ekpso Nostos (Social & Cultural Support Company for Repatriated Greeks) | 12,945,277.19 |
| Iliaktida AMKE Lesvos | 18,412,218.14 |
| Metadrasi – Action for Migration & Development | 20,832,141.54 |
| Lighthouse of Hope | 6,663,873.00 |
| Chania Development & Employment Partnership | 139,884.00 |
| Association for the Care of Minors & Youth | 2,549,714.40 |
| SOS Children’s Villages Greece | 1,498,188.19 |
| Catholic Relief Services (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Greece Branch) | 31,804,341.70 |
| Hopeten AMKE | 2,494,876.00 |
| The Home Project AMKE | 9,874,317.00 |
| Youth Center of Epirus AMKE | 4,723,430.12 |
| Apostoli AMKE | 1,614,135.00 |
| International Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD) | 11,547,236.22 |
| Hellenic Red Cross | 7,609,638.00 |
| European Society – Political Expression Institutions (EKPETHE) | 9,042,449.25 |
| Zeuxis NGO | 6,354,203.20 |
| Medical Intervention | 4,677,440.88 |
| KEAN (Cell of Alternative Youth Searches) | 6,631,583.54 |
| Social Greek Immediate Aid Unit | 18,342,749.63 |
| Synypa rxis – Ecumenical Refugee Program | 20,899,959.44 |
| The Smile of the Child | 381,653.00 |
| Dynamis Zois AMKE | 460,192.00 |
Total funding:
- From AMIF program — €175,000,000
- From EEA Financial Mechanism (2014–2021) — €16,670,162.92
- From foreign donations/contributions — €50,099.82
Overall total: €191,720,262.74
It is noted that the above figures do not include actions involving international organizations, which sometimes collaborate with NGOs according to their procedures, provided these have been positively assessed by the European Commission.
In his written response, Minister Thanos Plevris emphasized that the government has adopted a transparency mechanism so that citizens can know how European funds are distributed and who manages them.
He also indicated that the ministry intends to revise the framework under which program contracts are granted exclusively to NGOs, allowing other entities to participate as well.
Additionally, the supervision and audit framework for NGOs is expected to be tightened, particularly regarding their registration in the NGO Registry and the management audits conducted.
Regarding management control, under the Management and Control System (Joint Ministerial Decision 19976/2024, Government Gazette B’ 4817), during the evaluation of NGO funding proposals, the following are checked:
the organization’s experience, statutory relevance, registry entries, the criminal record of its legal representative, beneficial ownership declarations, and compliance with public procurement rules.
Once a proposal is approved, administrative and on-site verifications are conducted, covering administrative, financial, technical, and physical aspects of the project.
In case of irregularities, recommendations, financial corrections, recovery of funds, or revocation of inclusion may occur, and decisions are published on the “Diavgeia” transparency portal.
Furthermore, the audit process can also be triggered by complaints from any interested party, in accordance with Article 50 of the aforementioned decision and the related Procedures Manual.
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