newcomers – i.e., identification, reception, asylum procedure or return – would take place swiftly within their scope. Five hotspots, under the legal form of First Reception Centres – now known as Reception and Identification Centres (RIC) – were established in Greece on Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos. In 2021, on Samos, Leros and Kos, the RICs were converted into ‘Closed Controlled Access Centres of Islands (CCAC)’.106 The new facility in Samos was inaugurated on 18 September 2021 and the ones in Leros and Kos on 27 November 2021. 107 On Kos, despite the inauguration of the new centre, new infrastructures remained non-operational until August 2022. In 2022, the existing facilities in Lesvos and Chios were converted to Controlled Access Centres of Islands (CCAC).108 However, on Lesvos and Chios, two new Closed Controlled Access Centres of Islands (CCAC) are under construction and are expected to be completed in 2023. Reception and Identification Centres (RIC) and Closed Controlled Access Centres of Islands (CCAC) Hotspot Start of operation RIC (Moria) CCACI. (Mavrovouni) CCACI. (Vastria) October 2015 September 2020109 Under construction CCACI. (Chalkios) CCACI. (Akra Pachi – Tholos) February 2016 Under construction RIC CCACI. RIC CCACI. RIC CCACI. TOTAL Capacity Lesvos Non-operational 8,000 Estimated 5,000 Chios 1,014 Estimated 1,800 Samos March 2016 Non-operational 18 September 2021 2,040 Kos June 2016 Non-operational 27 November 2021 2,356 Leros June 2016 Non-operational 27 November 2021 1,780 15,934 Occupancy Non-operational 1,709 Non-operational 374 Non-operational Non-operational 1,013 Non-operational 917 Non-operational 358 3,307 Source: Ministry of Migration and Asylum, National Situation: Migrant and Refugee Issue, Situation as of 31 December 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3NbNkoS. It was initially planned that the five hotspot facilities would have a total capacity of 7,450 places. 110 According to official data however, their capacity had increased to 13,338 places by the end of 2020. The construction of the ‘Closed Controlled Access Centres of Islands (CCACI.)’ in 2021 further increased capacity to 15,934 places. Yet, according to commentators, the construction of new mass facilities cannot be justified by the number of TCN residing in the RICs nor by the flows, since both were significantly lower in 2020 and 2021 compared to previous years. Hence, based on the ministry’s official data, during 2022 106 107 108 109 110 Ministerial Decision 25.0 / 466733/15-12-2021, according which the RIC of Samos, Leros and Kos are renamed as ‘Closed Controlled Access Centres of Islands (C.C.A.C.I.)’, See also Art. 8 par. 4 L.4375/2016. MoMA, The Minister for Migration and Asylum, Mr. Notis Mitarachi, inaugurated the new closed controlled access centres in Samos, 18 September 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/3DHQzOe; MoMA, N. Mitarachi: Today in Leros and Kos, as a few days ago in Samos and in a few months in Chios and Lesvos, we inaugurate the new Closed Controlled Access Centres, with a view to the future. Images we can all recall from the period 2015-2019 belong definitely to the past, 27 November 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/3j61isb. Article 12, Presidential Decree 77/2022- Gov. Gazette 212/A/17-11-2022 A new facility in Kara Tepe (Mavrovouni) was established in September 2020 after Moria RIC burnt down. European Commission, Third Report on the Progress made in the implementation of the EU-Türkiye Statement, COM(2016) 634, 28 September 2016. 39