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From Thursday to Monday, a delegation of seven MEPs from the GUE/NGL group will travel to Athens and Lesbos to assess the situation of refugees and the functioning of the 'hotspots'
In Athens on Friday, the delegation will visit reception facilities for refugees in Elliniko and Elaionas and meet with NGOs including Médecins Sans Frontières, Amnesty International, the Greek Forum for Refugees, the Greek Refugee Council and the Association of Syrians.
In Lesbos on Saturday and Sunday, the delegation will visit Skala Sikamnia, a village where thousands of refugees are arriving, as well as the Moria and Kara Tepe reception centres. Meetings will be held with the Greek Minister for Migration, the Mayor of Lesvos, the Greek Coastguard and the UNHCR. Meetings with Frontex, the European Asylum Support Office, Europol and are also planned as well as with local and international activists and NGOs working on rescue and reception.
The delegation aims to:
- Assess the situation in terms of reception of refugees in Lesbos and in Athens;
- Assess the functioning of the 'hotspot' in Lesbos, including the implementation of the relocation programme, detention and returns;
- Assess the situation of people stranded in Greece since the filtering by nationality started along the Balkan route (refugees who are not Syrian, Afghan or Iraqi cannot pass through the FYROM border);
- Gain a deeper understanding of the issues at stake through meetings with officials, NGOs and volunteers.
MEPs attending this delegation include:
- Cornelia Ernst (Die Linke, Germany)
- Marina Albiol Guzmán (Izquierda Unida, Spain)
- Barbara Spinelli (Independent, Italy)
- Kostas Chrysogonos (Syriza, Greece)
- Stefan Eck (Independent, Germany)
- Josu Juaristi Abaunz (EH Bildu, Basque country)
- João Pimenta Lopes (PCP, Portugal)
The delegation begins on Thursday February 4 and returns on Monday February 8.
Photos and detailed accounts of the situation will be available during and after the delegation
GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
On Delegation: Nikki Sullings +32 483 03 55 75
On Delegation: Amandine Bach +32 495 86 04 36
In Brussels: Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)
European Parliamentary Group