82 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), ‘FRA Opinion on fundamental rights in the 'hotspots' set up in Greece and Italy’, FRA [website], 29 November 2016, pp.41-42, <http://fra.europa.eu/en/opinion/2016/fra-opinion-hotspots-approach>, last accessed 29 March 2018. 83 Ibid., p.41. 84 Interview with RIC Director at Pyli, Kos, on 10 January 2017. 85 “The Greek Asylum Service considers that vulnerable groups should be exempted from the border procedure, so as to ensure sufficient special procedural guarantees (e.g. objective inadequacy of medical and psychiatric services) for the vulnerable groups”. Meaning, lack of adequate support to vulnerable asylum seekers on the Greek islands. European Commission, ANNEX to the Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council and The Council: Seventh report on the progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement [website], 6 September 2017, <https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/policies/european-agendamigration/20170906_seventh_report_on_the_progress_in_the_implementation_of_the_eu-turkey_statement_annex_1_en.pdf> last accessed 29 March 2018. 86 Also, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), ‘Δραματική επιδείνωση των συνθηκών για τους αιτούντες άσυλο στη Λέσβο’ [Dramatic deterioration of conditions for asylum seekers in Lesvos], MSF [website], 13 July 2017, <https://msf.gr/sites/default/files/msfpublications//msf_report_vulnerable_lesvos_el.pdf>, last accessed 29 March 2018. 87 Some asylum seekers, to be noted, would be referred to assessment following their own request. This, however, was and remains a highly problematic “safety valve,” ever subject to ongoing gaps in effective information, as well as to the pre-existing expectations and fears with which asylum seekers arrive in Europe. In Lesvos, for instance, we were informed of the case of a Syrian family, whose thirteen year old daughter had an acute psychiatric condition. They had arrived in Greece at an unspecified time prior to the closure of the relocation scheme (the scheme ended in S... 2017), for which they wished to apply in order to go to Germany. The daughter, however, was not properly assessed as vulnerable, thus creating the risk of their being returned (i.e. “readmission”) to Turkey. Inter alia, this was because her father was afraid that her condition would lead to their exclusion from the relocation scheme, and was consequently hesitant to declare his daughter’s condition. Interview with Caritas Hellas in Lesvos, on 12 December 2017. On the deficiencies of vulnerability screening also see Greek Council for Refugees, op.cit., pp.68-70, and European Council on Refugees and Exiles, ‘Greece: Strengthening NGO involvement and capacities around EU ‘hotspots’ developments: Update on the implementation of the hotspots in Greece and Italy’, asylum information database (aida) [website], April 2017, pp.2-3, <http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/update_report_gcr.pdf>, last accessed 29 March 2018. 88 For instance, Healthview, ‘Κενά στην υγειονομική φροντίδα των προσφύγων λόγω μη ανανέωσης των συμβάσεων με τις ΜΚΟ’ [Gaps in health care for refugees due to non-renewal of NGO contracts], healthview [website], 2 June 2017, <http://www.healthview.gr/34013/kena-stin-ygionomiki-frontidaton-prosfygon-logo-mi-ananeosis-ton-symvaseon-mko/>, last accessed 30 March 2018, and Joint NGO letter, Lack of handover plans for the response in Greece puts asylum seekers at risk, NGOs warn [press release], 11 July 2017, <http://reliefweb.int/report/greece/lack-handover-plans-response-greeceputs-asylum-seekers-risk-ngos-warn>, last accessed 30 March 2018. 89 Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), ‘Σημαντικά κενά στην περίθαλψη προσφύγων στα Hot Spot, καταρρέει το σύστημα εκτίμησης της ευαλωτότητας’ [Significant gaps in refugee care at the Hot Spots, the vulnerability assessment system is collapsing], RSA [website], 7 July 2017, <https://bit.ly/2JiZBEV>, last accessed 30 March 2018. 90 Interview with staff of the Kos RAO, on 12 January 2018. 91 As per the KEELPNO personnel we interviewed on the 12th of January 2018, approximately 90% of the persons they had seen since their deployment, in late August, already had some medical issue prior to their arrival in Greece, with many suffering from psychological (post-traumatic stress disorders) and/or neurologic conditions (e.g. epilepsies). 92 Information acquired through interview with staff of the Hellenic Red Cross at Fylakio, Evros, on 20 December 2017. 93 Interview with Director of RIC at Fylakio, Evros, on 21 December 2017. 31