CCAC.200 On 28 September 2023, the nominal capacity of Samos, Kos and Leros CCACs, 201 as well as of the CCAC of Lesvos202 appeared to have increased overnight in the statistics of the Ministry, reaching an overall total capacity of the CCAC of 17,737 places, without any clarification or actual expansion of the facilities that could justify such an increase. Therefore, doubts are raised as to whether the CCAC’s capacity has been actually increased or whether this new capacity included spaces not intended and suitable to accommodate people.203 During the summer of 2024, an increase in arrivals was also noted through the southern Aegean. As a result, more people arrived at the CCAC of Leros, Kos and Samos, as this is corroborated by Official statistics of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. 204By the end of 2024, the total capacity of the CCAC appears to be of 14,156 places in total. However, the official "nominal" capacity and the facilities' "actual" capacity continue to differ significantly. It is indicative, that according to other official sources of information the nominal capacity of the CCAC is reduced compared to those provided by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum (e.g., the capacity of the CCAC in Kos appears to be 1,513).205 In Lesvos, in addition to the CCAC of Mavrovouni, the Controlled Temporary Accommodation Facility for asylum seekers of West Lesvos, which is located in the area of Megala Therma in West Lesvos (Kastelia), also operates as an autonomous structure since December 2020. It is noteworthy that the Administrator used to be the only administrative staff in the facility. Until November 2022, the structure operated as a quarantine structure and since then as an informal first reception "waiting area" for people arriving on the northern side of the island. The nominal capacity of the structure is 352 persons however the actual capacity is 160 persons. At the end of March 2023, the structure had reached its capacity. 206 Newly arrived asylum applicants remained there for days, in some cases for more than two weeks, waiting in dire conditions to be transferred to the CCAC of Mavrovouni, without any official registration, without access to interpretation, legal or psychosocial assistance, without information on procedures and without the possibility to contact anyone outside the quarantine area, which could lead to arbitrary practices, such as pushback operations. Medical screening and NFIs were provided twice per week by MSF.207 Since late May 2023, all newcomers, regardless of their entry point, were transferred upon arrival directly to CCAC of Mavrovouni. Local communities, as well as local authorities have expressed their opposition against the creation of the new CCAC because they do not consider them necessary and because they have strong concerns both related to the degradation of the islands and the rights of newcomers. In Lesvos and Chios, several protests took place and citizens attempted to disrupt the construction of the centres. 208 In Leros and Kos, criticism against the construction of the new facilities was expressed not only by local communities but also by the local authorities. The Mayors of both islands refused to attend the inauguration of the new centres. In 2021, the local authorities of both Leros and Samos challenged 209 – with no success210 – the construction of new centres. At the end of October 2024, the Head of the Region of North Aegean, repeated the vivid opposition of the Regional Authority against the construction of the new structures in Lesvos and Chios.211 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 Υπουργείο Προστασίας του Πολίτη, Εθνικό Συντονιστικό κέντρο ελέγχου και επιτήρησης συνόρων (Ε.Σ.Κ.Ε.Ε.Σ.), Εικόνα της Κατάστασης Νήσων Ανατολικού Αιγαίου της 31/12/2023, 1 January 2024, available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/yc44zc8a. RSA, Disgraceful living conditions in the ‘state-of-the-art’ Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) of Samos, 6 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/465m7vnt. According to the official statistics of MoMA, available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/shmvzvru, the nominal capacity of CCAC in Lesvos was 3.840 places on 16 September 2023. However, the day after, the nominal capacity of the structure appears to be 8000 places according to available statistics available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/4rzcrkvz. Joint statement on Samos, "Not again in 2024: call for upholding human rights in Samos closed controlled access centre”, 31 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/296rcd82. MoMA, RIS Statistics on registrations in screening procedures January -September 2024, available at https://tinyurl.com/yf87mcdk MoMA, Reply to a parliamentary question, November 2024, available in Greek here. GCR, News from the field, 1 May 2023, available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/3us999zx. Médecins Sans Frontières, Pushbacks, detention and violence towards migrants on Lesbos, 25 May 2023, available at: https://tinyurl.com/htk996p2. Tvxs, Χίος – Λέσβος: Μαχητικό «όχι» των κατοίκων στις προσφυγικές δομές – φυλακές, 6 January 2022, available in Greek, https://tinyurl.com/27xjwmuw . CNN Greece, Προσφυγικό: Στο ΣτΕ ο δήμος Λέρου κατά της κατασκευής ΚΥΤ στο Λακκί, 4 January 2021, available in Greek at: https://bit.ly/3DFVT4y and ECRE, Greece: Significant Decrease of Arrivals – Chaos Continues, 15 January 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/37tbYPr. Δημοκρατική , ΣτΕ, Απορρίφθηκε η αίτηση του Δήμου Λέρου για ακύρωση της απόφασης κατασκευής της νέας κλειστής δομής, , 9 June 2023, available at, https://tinyurl.com/4mxvfhv4. TaNeA, ΞΕΚΟΨΕ Ο ΜΟΥΤΖΟΥΡΗΣ ΚΑΘΕ ΒΛΕΨΗ ΓΙΑ ΤΗ ΒΑΣΤΡΙΑ: «Θα φτάσουμε στα όρια», 31 October 2024. 56