ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ: ΕΞΕΛΙΞΕΙΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΕΔΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΦΥΓΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΚΛΗΣΕΙΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

164 The ‘hotspot’ approach: key findings from Greece “geo-graphical restriction”, meaning they are unable to leave the Greek islands before their case is processed. Although there is no known formal policy on the geographic restriction, the Greek Government and EU member states alike say that it is implicit in the Statement. 54 In practice, this means that only people who receive a positive first or second in- stance decision will ultimately be able to move to the mainland, while the rest will be returned to Turkey. In this context, the large majority find themselves con- fined to one of the five islands where hotspots are located(namely Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos), for periods ranging from months to –very often-more than a year, in overcrowded facilities. 55 The hotspot in Kos started its activities only in June 2016, due to the reactions against its operation by the local authorities and community. 56 According to official estimations, 12,531 people are currently being accommo- dated in the hotspots, which have the capacity for just 5,576 while 2,631 are be- ing hosted in other sites (e.g., Kara Tepe in Lesvos), apartments or hotels. 57 In September 2017, there were 4,859 sea arrivals registered - the highest monthly figure since the EU-Turkey Statement came into effect. This and the approximate 53,000 other people that reached the Greek islands since 20 March 2016, are rep- resentative of the reality facing Greece: the EU-Turkey Statement, while violating people’s basic rights, does not stop those determined to seek sanctuary in Europe from entering Greece. As such, the hotspot in Samos, which is designed to host 700 people, has exceeded its capacity three times over and hosts 2,063 people. 58 As a result, there are currently people sleeping in tents pitched in the forest area around the facility, there is insufficient access to toilets, a shortage of clean drink- 54. IRC, NRC, Oxfam, ‘The reality of the EU -TURKEY statement: How Greece has become a testing ground for policies that erode protection for refugees’, March 2017, https:// www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/bn-eu-turkey-statement-migration- 170317-en.pdf. 55. GCR, Submission on the execution of ECtHR judgment on the case MSS v. Belgium and Greece, May 2016, available at: http://www.gcr.gr/index.php/en/publications- media/2015-07-06-10-08-36/item/471-ekthesi-esp-sto-plaisio-ektelesis-tis-apofasis- mss-kata-velgiou-kai-elladas-maios-2015. 56. GCR, GCR Mission to Kos and Leros, May-November 2016, available in Greek at: http:// www.gcr.gr/index.php/el/action/gcr-missions/greece-activity-reports/item/626-kos- kai-leros-maios-noemvrios-2016. 57. Situation on the Greek islands, 4 December 2017, Ministry of digital communications and information, http://mindigital.gr/index.php/%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%83%CF %86%CF%85%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CE%B6%CE%AE%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE %B1-refugee-crisis/1770-a-3-12-2017. 58. Joint NGO roadmap for more fair and humane policies: Transitioning to a Govern- ment - run refygee and migrant response in Greece (Dec 2017), https://drc.ngo/me- dia/4154531/joint-ngo-roadmap-12122017.pdf.