Extensive inter-ministerial meeting on refugee flows of displaced persons from Ukraine arriving in Greece

A wide-ranging government meeting on the refugee flows of displaced persons from Ukraine arriving in Greece took place on Friday afternoon, coordinated by the Prime Minister.

During the meeting, all the latest data on the reception process at each entrance gate of Greece to Ukrainian displaced persons, the provision of temporary protection, benefits and hosting conditions as well as the immediate next steps by the competent Ministries were examined.

To date, a total of 2,704 Ukrainian citizens have been granted temporary accommodation, of which only 50 have applied to be accommodated in first reception facilities. At the meeting was presented by the Minister. Immigration and Asylum the total of immediately available accommodation beds that approach 5,000 and can potentially reach 30,000.

Reference was also made to the declaratory decision for the provision of an emergency special temporary protection regime lasting 12 months in derogation from the established Asylum procedure decided today by the European institutions and adopted immediately by our country. In addition, it was announced that in a month, from 4/4, there will be the possibility of a fast track process of identification and provision of a special biometric identity of 12 months stay to those Ukrainian citizens wishing to remain in our country.

Special mention was made of the creation of a special website hosting humanitarian requests to the displaced Ukrainians at https://migration.gov.gr/help-ukraine-online-form/, where public and private bodies, ordinary citizens and NGOs can submit digitally the way in which they want to contribute to the relief of Ukrainian victims of war.

The Ministries of Health and Education referred to the readiness of health structures and schools to receive Ukrainian refugees. In fact, five children from Ukraine have already been enrolled in Greek public school classes in the context of the action for the “Inclusive School”. The Ministry of Health undertook to plan a special action to vaccinate unvaccinated refugees and send medical supplies to Ukrainian hospitals.

The Ministries of Labor, Rural Development, Development, and Tourism undertook to record the needs of the Greek labor market for seasonal or permanent staff, not covered by domestic human resources, in the agricultural sector, manufacturing, tourism, catering and companies technology and return specific employment opportunities for displaced Ukrainians.

The Ministry of Interior is in close cooperation with KEDE, ENPE and the Church of Greece to assist in hosting the refugees.

Finally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed about the difficult but successful operation to evacuate Greek citizens from Ukraine and the efforts made for contacts with the Greek expatriate and the opening of new humanitarian corridors for the departure of other Greek expatriates.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Notis Mitarakis, the Minister of Citizen Protection, Takis Theodorikakos, the Minister of Development and Investment, Adonis Georgiadis, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Kostis Ytrogis, Mr. Kostiros Hatzidakis Of Development and Food, George Georgantas, the Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilias, the Minister of State, Akis Skertsos, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the Deputy Minister of Interior, Stelios Aytichos, Deputy Chief of Staff , Manos Logothetis, the General Secretary of Social Solidarity and the Fight against Poverty, George Stamatis, the General Secretary of Primary, Secondary Education and Special Education, Alexandros Kopsis and the General Secretary of Coordination, Thanassis.