With this statement, we, the people, networks and groups standing in solidarity with the refugees side by side, from inside and outside of the camps:

• reject the Greek Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas’ most recent comments about conditions in the camps. In light of the presented evidence, we call for Mr Mouzalas to exercise responsibility by either issuing a clarification or retraction;
• urge all parties to uphold, with utmost urgency, their responsibilities in providing adequate shelter for refugees on the Greek mainland and the Aegean islands, adapted to the winter conditions and respecting fundamental rights;
• oppose any plans of the European Commission and European governments to resume planned Dublin returns to Greece after 15th March 2017 as survival in Greece cannot be guaranteed for the refugees in light of the inadequate living conditions.

On 28 December 2016, Mr Mouzalas announced that “there is no-one living in tents, no-one living without heating, with the only exception being 100 UNHCR tents in Elliniko [an Athens camp], that are winter tents and they do have heating.”

Despite clear evidence disputing that statement posted by various groups onsite, Mr Mouzalas declared on 5 January 2017, that “there are no refugees or migrants living in the cold anymore. We successfully completed the procedures for overwintering,” he said, with the exception of 40 tents left in Vayiohori [a camp near Thessaloniki] and another 100 in Athens.

These words are in stark contrast to the reality of life in the camps that we witness on a daily basis, as well as refugees’ reports from throughout Greece. Public statements like the aforementioned cannot remain undisputed.

Nearly €90m have been disbursed by the EU to the Greek Government and more than €14m to UNHCR to improve conditions at the camps before the winter. Yet, for the last months, more than 30,000 and 15,000 refugees on the mainland and the islands respectively, have been sleeping under inhumane and degrading conditions. Many camps remain without heating, electricity or hot water whilst temperatures drop below zero degrees during the night.

In Northern Greece, numerous refugee camps do not have heaters and electricity cuts are frequent. In Nea Kavala, even inside the ‘winterised’ containers, the water pipes are frozen and there is no warm water; the toilets won’t flush. In Sofitex, a camp in Thessaloniki, there are still 130 children under 12 living in deplorable conditions.  In Vaiochori, one of the most isolated camps on the mainland run by the military, the water pipes have frozen in minus 8 degrees Celcius day time temperatures, causing its 40-50 residents to have no access to toilets or showers, limited drinkable water (one bottle a day), electricity and no heating system for the population living in the camp. As of 11th January, there has been no running water in the toilets for five days. Skin diseases are fast spreading and scabies warts, infected. Vaiochori residents are also prevented by the military from creating their own heat source outside of their summer tents.

In Souda camp on Chios, more than 800 refugees still have no access to hot water, whilst some of the supposedly ‘winterised’ shelters – including those housing women and children – have no heating and are unfit to keep out the rain, snow, and humidity. Last weekend, in light of dangerously low temperatures where the risk of hypothermia is higher for children, three families, including four children and a 9-month old baby, had to be housed by volunteers in alternative accommodation as an emergency measure. On Samos, around 700 people including young children and other vulnerable individuals remain in unheated tents. The situation for refugees on Lesvos grows increasingly dire. The refugee population living on the island exceeds 6,000, of whom 50% are children living in life-threatening conditions and are at serious risk of hypothermia. Only 130 have been recently accommodated in hotels.

Hence, contrary to the Minister’s claims, the conditions in the camps remain unsuitable, inadequate, undignified and dangerous. It is unacceptable that this is happening when almost half of all the hotels on all islands remain empty and unconscionable that hoteliers remain unmoved, stating that it is not them “to solve the problem.”

We therefore demand that:

• the Greek Government takes urgent measures to immediately provide adequate shelters able to effectively protect refugees and migrants from the winter conditions, and improve facilities. This includes the provision of hot water, and reliable access to electricity;
• when the existing shelters and facilities cannot be improved such that they ensure dignified living conditions, the Greek Government, in cooperation with its partners, shall urgently provide alternative options for housing, such as hotels or rented apartments; and
• the Greek Government, in cooperation with the European Commission, investigates the implementation of EU emergency funding in refugee camps and implements effective oversight.

We would also like to cordially invite:

• independent and principled media to question the Minister’s statements and to continue highlighting Europe’s inhumane policies towards refugees in Greece; and
• the Migration Minister himself, Mr Yiannis Mouzalas, and all relevant officials to visit the camps of Souda, on Chios, Vaiochori and Softex within the next days.

Finally, we insist for a more solidary European response to this man-made crisis. With approximately 60 000 lives affected by the cold, the Greek authorities, responsible NGOs and European Governments must stop the dangerous blame game they are currently involved in, and must take responsibility for their actions and their omissions to act in response to the urgent needs in the camps.

The undersigned,

1. Action from Switzerland, Chios
2. Advocates Abroad, Mainland/Greek Islands
3. Asociación Amigos de Ritsona, Ritsona Camp
4. Archipelagos, Institute of Marine Conservations, Samos
5. Are You Syrious, Athens/Thessaloniki
6. Calais Action, Samos
7. Be Aware and Share (BAAS), Chios
8. Bê Sînor – Sinatex Cultural Center, Sinatex Camp
9. Borderfree Association, Thessaloniki
10. Bridge2Refugees, Veria
11. Catch a Smile asbl, Thessaloniki
12. Dirty Girls of Lesbos, Lesvos
13. Echo Refugee Library, Thessaloniki
14. Everyday, Just a smile, Derveni-Alexyl Camp
15. Filoxenia International, Thessaloniki
16. FoodKIND Switzerland, Northern Greece
17. Friendly Humans, Samos
18. High Wycombe Helping Others, Samos/Athens
19. Holes in the Borders, Athens
20. Human Aid Greece, Thessaloniki
21. Humanitarian Support Agency, Lesvos
22. InterEuropean Human Aid Association (IHA), Northern Greece
23. KHORA Co-Op, Athens
24. Marlow Refugee Action Group, Samos
25. Mobile Info Team, Thessaloniki
26. Montcada Solidaria, Thessaloniki
27. No Tears No Borders, Samos
28. North Devon Refugee Solidarity, Samos
29. One Human Race, Athens
30. 100procentnødhjælp, Greece
31. People Street Kitchen, Chios
32. Phone Credit for Refugees and Displaced People, Greece
33. RefuAid, Greece
34. RefuComm e.V, Athens
35. Refugee Biriyani & Bananas, Thessaloniki
36. Refugee Support Europe, Alexandreia and Filipiada Camps
37. Refugee Trauma Initiative, Northern Greece
38. Re-Act Scotland, Samos
39. Salvamento Maritimo Humanitario, Chios
40. Samos volunteers, Samos
41. Solidaridad con Ritsona (Chalkida)
42. Soul Food Kitchen, Thessaloniki
43. Soup and Socks e.V. / Habibi.Works
44. Team Bananas, Thessaloniki
45. The Common Good Collective, Lesvos
46. Together for Better Days, Thessaloniki/Lesvos
47. United Refugee Aid, Northern Greece
48. United Rescues
49. Weareonecollective, Greece
50. Where Is The Life, Lagkadikia Camp
51. Yellow Aid Truck, Northern Greece
52. Zaporeak Proiektua, Chios