At the end of last year, mainland camps hosted a total of 16,911, i.e. ran at 73.7% of their full actual
capacity. The number of residents in the largest mainland camps fluctuated as follows throughout
2023:
Occupancy of ten largest CTRC by month: 2023
Camp
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Malakasa
890
1,172
1,509
647
387
607
746
1,581
2,479
2,398
2,649
2,901
1,644
1,196
1,267
1,225
1,202
1,249
1,276
1,350
1,539
2,052
2,153
2,291
Ritsona
Polykastro
596
539
475
430
420
762
1,048
1,033
1,357
1,317
1,266
1,206
1,029
962
769
638
738
1,295
1,490
1,659
1,038
1,502
1,461
1,244
Koutsochero
655
577
521
482
538
585
605
841
0
0
0
0
Katsikas
813
807
727
687
693
739
770
785
919
937
912
940
Kavala
379
425
371
331
397
339
539
698
679
915
905
913
Schisto
661
693
657
649
585
621
618
598
632
896
792
872
Thiva
257
218
201
196
320
232
286
504
639
673
629
594
Corinth
414
427
415
399
348
350
337
443
712
714
681
707
Serres
Source: JMD 527692/2023; JMD 87298/2024. Certain occupancy data for December 2023 differ from those provided by
the Ministry of Migration and Asylum in reply to a parliamentary question.
CTRC Ritsona merits particular consideration. Based on the above official figures, Ritsona has
consistently accommodated more than a thousand residents during the year and has exceeded
two thousand inhabitants. Various security and violence incidents have been reported in the
camp over the past year.14
Available reception conditions
Asylum seekers are entitled to reception conditions from the moment they “make” an oral or
written application for international protection in Greece until a final decision is taken thereon. 15
These include “material reception conditions” 16 offered by the RIS to those residing in the Greek
reception system, i.e. in Closed Controlled Access Centres (CCAC), RIC or CTRC. Material
reception conditions comprise of accommodation, food, clothing and an allowance for daily
expenses. The majority of asylum seekers in Greece are in fact within the country’s reception
14
15
16
Evia Thema, ‘Ριτσώνα: Άγρια συμπλοκή μεταξύ μεταναστών στην δομή φιλοξενίας – Ένας τραυματίας
στο Νοσοκομείο’, 28 January 2024, available here; ‘Ριτσώνα: Άγρια συμπλοκή μεταξύ μεταναστών
στην δομή φιλοξενίας – Ένας τραυματίας στο Νοσοκομείο’, 27 January 2024, available here; I
Efimerida, ‘Συμπλοκές στη δομή φιλοξενίας της Ριτσώνας -Στο σημείο ισχυρές δυνάμεις της ΕΛ.ΑΣ.’, 8
January 2024, available here; Athens Voice, ‘Συνεχίζεται η αναζήτηση 17χρονης που εξαφανίστηκε από
δομή φιλοξενίας προσφύγων στη Ριτσώνα’, 29 May 2023, available here; Lifo, ‘Ριτσώνα: 11χρονη που
διαμένει στη δομή προσφύγων καταγγέλλει απόπειρα βιασμού από 6 άτομα’, 28 March 2023, available
here; Alfavita, ‘Ριτσώνα: Άγριος ξυλοδαρμός μετανάστη σε Δομή Φιλοξενίας’, 16 March 2023,
available here.
Articles 1(c), (g) and 69(8) Greek Asylum Code; Article 17(1) Reception Conditions Directive.
Article 1(h) Greek Asylum Code.
RSA REPORT │ REFUGEE CAMPS IN MAINLAND GREECE | JUN 2024
5