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EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure GR-2022-10/2330 – measures in Greece

Reception and accommodation centres for Ukrainian refugees

Kedra ipodohis kai filoxenias Oukranon prosfigon stin Ellada (Κέντρα υποδοχής και φιλοξενίας Ουκρανών προσφύγων στην Ελλάδα

Country Greece , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 01 March 2022 – 04 March 2023
Context War in Ukraine
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Measures to prevent social hardship
– Keeping or obtaining a safe home
Author Penny Georgiadou (INE GSEE)
Measure added 18 May 2022 (updated 20 June 2022)

Background information

Russia's invasion in Ukraine, created a huge wave of refugees. The Council of the EU on 4 March 2022, noting the massive influx of displaced persons from Ukraine (Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/EC) decided to implement a temporary protection regime in all the EU countries. In Greece, the Minister of Migration and Asylum, with his Decision No. 172172, on 28 March 2022, activated the implementation of the temporary protection status foreseen by the Presidential Degree 80/2006 due to the massive influx of Ukrainians. This decision refers to displaced persons who resided in Ukraine before 24 February 2022, regulates their stay Reception and accommodation in Greece and other facilities until four March 2023.

Content of measure

The Minister of Migration took a series of measures in order to facilitate the Ukrainian displaced persons in their entry and residence in Greece such as:

  • Creation of a reception center in Sintiki Serres, 5 km near the Promachonas Control Department, with the possibility of a few days' accommodation, for the submission of a request for temporary protection from Ukrainians without travel documents.
  • The accommodation facility operated in Greece and directly accepted Ukrainian refugees, after their reception in Sintiki Serres, was the Accomodation Center in the city of Serres having a capability to host about 170 persons.
  • In April a new reception and accommodation facility for Ukrainian refugees was established in Elefsina in Attica, with a capacity of 150 persons.
  • In addition, the available accommodation places have been expanded throughout Greece, in the existing refugee accommodation centers or rented houses, apartments and accommodation units included in the ESTIA II program.

All the actions are funded from the existing European funds.

According to the Minister of Migration on 24 March 2022, there were 15,000 places for hosting Ukrainian refugees with the potential for enlargement to 30,000 places.

Use of measure

According to the information given by the Minister of Migration, on 30 April 2022, no Ukrainians lived in the short-term accommodation facility of Sintiki, while the long-term accommodation facilities recorded 164 persons from Ukraine to stay in Serres, 133 persons in Elefsina and five persons stay in the apartments of the ESTIA programme.

Also, by April 30, in Greece 13,147 electronic pre-registration applications had been filed in asking for the provision of temporary protection to Ukrainians. 56% of the pre-registration applications were submitted to the Regional Asylum Office (PGA) of Attica, 29% to the PGA of Thessaloniki, 6% to the PGA of Western Greece, 6% to the PGA of Crete and 3% to the PGA of Alimos.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
European Funds
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There was no involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

There were no social partner's reactions to the measure detected.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Reception and accommodation centres for Ukrainian refugees, measure GR-2022-10/2330 (measures in Greece), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/GR-2022-10_2330.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.