The request to deploy stationary cruise ships off the Greek coast so that they can provide the migrants with the care they need to prevent the epidemic from spreading was not welcomed by our colleague's Greek counterpart. State Secretary for Justice and Security Ankie Broekers-Knol.
The members of the House of Representatives Jasper van Dijk (SP), Van Ojik (GroenLinks), Kuiken (PvdA), Groothuizen (D66), Voordewind (ChristenUnie) and Van Toorenburg (CDA) have previously given the opportunity to the State Secretary for Justice and Security investigate the transfer of migrants in the Greek islands to anchor ships at rest due to corona.
In principle, it is up to the Greek authorities to take adequate measures to deal with the COVID-19 situation. This also applies to a possible evacuation of migrants in the reception camps on the Greek islands to another location. It should be noted that the 'transfer' of vulnerable migrants from the Greek islands to the mainland has long been an established Greek policy.
According to the Greek authorities, more than 2020 migrants were already transferred from the Greek islands to the mainland from 24 to 13.500 May. This is more than the total number of arrivals to the Greek islands in the same period (approximately 7.400). In the short term, Greece plans to relocate a large group of vulnerable migrants to the mainland and place them in shelters, vacant hotels and apartments.
It is known that the Greek authorities in the past (ao in 2015 and 20177) have considered using ships to create temporary extra reception capacity on the islands. During a recent video meeting with her colleagues, Ankie Broekers-Knol asked her Greek counterpart about this option. It was then indicated that there was no need for this at the moment and that this was a relatively expensive option for the reception of the migrants. It has been opted for reception in empty hotels and apartments.
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