The operation of migrant detention centers may have resulted in more illegal immigrants returning to their countries of origin from Greece over the last two years, however, the Greek Residence Bureau section dealing with illegal immigration has found that the conditions at those reception centers were squalid. Greece had often been condemned by various international human rights groups concerning the operation of such camps, showing that problems had merely been swept under the carpet.
A report by the relevant service dated March 3, 2015, entitled “Pre-Deportment Center Foundation and the Project Impact”, gives a detailed account of the decision to create the centers, their goals, consequences and an evaluation of their achievements. The introduction refers to Frontex figures that show that a whopping 80% of the third country non-EU nationals illegally entering the European Union came through the Greek-Turkish border. The need for the situation to be addressed has gained greater impetus now that it is considered definite that a number of ISIS terrorists entered Europe through Greece.
The report states that the huge flow of migrants has seen them gather at urban centers (Athens, Patras, Igoumenitsa, Corinth) causing problems for the undocumented foreign nationals — practically all from Third World countries — as well as creating insecurity amongst the residents living at these regions. From August 2012, the controversial Xenios Zeus program was aimed at addressing the problems caused by illegal immigration in the center of Athens. Following a report, the operation began for the congregation of migrants away from the city centers without, however, the required foundation. It was found that all the detention centers lacked pharmaceutical supplies or adequate medical staff.
The centers were short-staffed with as much as 10-month delays in the diagnostic reports of psychologists, social workers and interpreters. Daily protests and riots at these centers drew negative reports by human rights groups and EU bodies.
The report notes that the centers noted a rise in numbers and deportations during 2013 and 2014 where there were 26,186 and 27,789 people kept at the camps respectively. The report concludes that the detention centers failed to deal with the real immigration problems as they only addressed 8% of the total immigration flow that was 43,002 in 2013 and 77,163 in 2014.
During a press conference by Alternate Public Order and Citizen Protection Minister Yiannis Panoussis on Wednesday, he said the new government’s immigration policy has yet to be announced and referred to a difference in views between the ministries of Citizen Protection and Immigration Policy. Sources state that the government was wrong to rush and free irregular migrants kept at the centers before chartering its complete policy on the heated matter.
Asked at the press conference about the busloads of people that were smuggled into the country being taken from Amygdaleza, north of Athens, and left at Omonia square in downtown Athens, Panoussis — the relevant minister — said he was unaware of the situation: “It would be catastrophic, I would have made a mistake, we would have made a mistake if a thousand migrants gather at Omonia,” he said, adding that he would look into the matter.
“You may be right. Symbolically you may be right. They should not have been let off at Omonia. We should not have left them there to not give them the view. But if they want to gather there, they will. The matter is for them not to.” The migrants in question were taken from a white coach from Amygdaleza, accompanied by a police car and left near the a polyclinic at the corner of Pireos and Menandrou streets.
