2: MAINLAND RECEPTION CENTRES This section provides an overview of the mainland RICs at Malakasa and Diavata, including brief histories of each site and key statistics where available. Following the policy change in November 2021 which abolished direct access to the asylum procedure for most people seeking international protection in Greece, the Greek government specified that applications should be lodged within reception and identification facilities on the mainland. However, these facilities did not materialise until the end of August 2022, when the RICs of Malakasa and Diavata were established through a Circular issued by the MoMA. The RICs were not newly constructed by the MoMA but were rather repurposed existing structures which had previously accommodated registered asylum seekers.⁴² Malakasa RIC Key Information Started operations as a RIC: September 2022 Location: 42 km from Athens city centre, 2 km from Malakasa village (38.239922, 23.779786) Management: Reception and Identification Service (RIS) Approximate capacity: 1500 Malakasa RIC (Κ.Υ.Τ. Μαλακάσας in Greek) is one of two facilities responsible for the reception and identification of asylum seekers present on the Greek mainland. The site began operations as a RIC on 1st September 2022 and is located 1 km from Malakasa reception facility, a larger accommodation structure for registered asylum seekers. The RIC was established on a pre-existing site, known as New Malakasa, which had been functioning as a reception facility for registered applicants since March 2020 and previously as a detention camp.⁴³ Both the RIC and Malakasa reception facilities are built on a former military base, Gerakini. Malakasa RIC is a closed facility with a double high fence around the perimeter. Entry and exit is restricted and controlled through a security gate. The site comprises a services area and an accommodation area which are separated by an internal fence. 18