and attend school (primary and secondary education of the public system of education), due to an
unwillingness to integrate into the education system. In such cases, administrative sanctions foreseen for
Greek citizens are also imposed on the adult members of the minor's family.953
Article 61 (5) of the Asylum Code provides that the decision to reduce or withdraw material reception
conditions or the decision imposing the sanction foreseen in case of serious breach of the Operating
Regulations of the accommodation centres, is taken by the competent Reception Authority on an
individual and objective basis and must be justified. It also provides that the special situation of the person
concerned, particularly if vulnerable, is to be taken into account and that the decision to reduce or withdraw
material reception conditions cannot obstruct the applicant's access to medical and pharmaceutical care,
in accordance with Article 59 (2) of the Asylum Code, or make it impossible for them to access basic
means that ensure a dignified standard of living. The same Article also provides that the decision to reduce
or withdraw material reception conditions or to impose the aforementioned sanction is communicated to
the applicant in a language they understand.
As per Article 61(6), material reception conditions cannot be withdrawn or reduced before the
aforementioned decision is taken. The procedure to be followed is laid down in the General Regulation of
Temporary Reception and Temporary Accommodation Facilities for third country nationals or stateless
persons under the responsibility of the RIS (Γενικός Κανονισμός Λειτουργίας Δομών Προσωρινής
Υποδοχής και Δομών Προσωρινής Φιλοξενίας πολιτών τρίτων χωρών ή ανιθαγενών, που λειτουργούν με
μέριμνα της Υπηρεσίας Υποδοχής και Ταυτοποίησης) and the General Regulation for the Operation of
Reception and Identification Centres and Mobile Reception and Identification Units (Γενικός Κανονισμός
Λειτουργίας Κέντρων Υποδοχής και Ταυτοποίησης και Κινητών Μονάδων Υποδοχής και Ταυτοποίησης).
In the first case, the procedure foresees: (a) a written warning and (b) a reasoned decision reducing or
withdrawing material reception conditions, while in the second case a three-step procedure is foreseen,
consisting of (a) an oral recommendation, (b) a written warning and (c) the interruption of accommodation
as long as reception and identification procedures have been completed. 954
A 2021 general regulation covering the operation of the island CCACs inter alia foresees the possibility
to terminate accommodation and withdraw material reception if applicants are unjustifiably not identified
during the regular census-verification of the resident population for two consecutive times,955 although no
separate procedure is foreseen. The same provision is maintained under Article 9 of a 2023 General
Regulation for the Operation of the CCACs.956
In practice
Between June and December 2020, reception conditions were withdrawn in the case of 4,957 people,
2,964 of whom were accommodated in camps, and 2,033 in the former ESTIA accommodation scheme
(2,033), following status recognition or after a second instance negative decision. Data on decisions
reducing or withdrawing material reception conditions have since not been provided by the MoMA, even
though GCR has requested it on a yearly basis. Instead, following the latest such request sent by GCR in
December 2024, the MoMA replied by referring GCR to the Ministry’s website “and in particular at the link
https://migration.gov.gr/statistika/ [where] the monthly newsletters are published, alongside relevant
annexes, which include summary and detailed statistical data on the work of the First Reception Service,
the Asylum Service and the Appeals Authority […]”.957 Yet, a closer look at the public sources referred to
by the MoMA highlights that the specific data is not available.
953
954
955
956
957
Article 55 (2) Asylum Code.
Article 18 (1) Ministerial Decision 23/13532/2020, Gov. Gazette, 5272/Β’/30.11.2020 and Article 10(1) Joint
Ministerial Decision 1/7433/10-6-2019, Gov. Gazette 2219/B/10.6.2019.
Article 7 (2) Decision 25.0/118832 of the General Secretary of Reception of the MoMA, Gov. Gazette
3191/B/20.7.21, available in Greek at: https://bit.ly/3XwiTz8.
Article 9 (2) Decision 553695/2023 of the General Secretary of Reception of the MoMA, Gov. Gazette
7533/B/31.12.23, available in Greek at: https://bit.ly/4beC3fU.
MoMA, Analysis and Studies Office, Information provision for the preparation of the updated Annual Report
on Greece for 2024 in the framework of the Asylum Information Database (AIDA) project., 10 January 2025.
201