to the CCAC.177 However, the Minister of MoMA declared that the Ministry has already taken all the necessary steps for the proper environmental classification and approval of the construction of the structure and its accompanying works and so, according to him, its construction is estimated to be finalized by spring 2024.178 In Chios, no construction work took place in 2023. The examination of the application submitted by the State for the latter to exercise a right to access the area of the construction, is still pending before Chios Court of the First Instance.179 On Samos and Leros, the CCAC have been moved to different areas compared to where the previous RICs were located, namely in Zervou (Samos) and Lepida (Leros). Similarly, the new facilities under construction on Lesvos and Chios are located in different areas, namely in Plati – Vastria (Lesvos) and in Akra Pachi – Tholos (Chios). In Kos, the CCAC has been expanded in an area attached to the thenexisting RIC located in Pyli. The new structures have been placed in remote locations, isolated from urban areas with very poor connection to the main cities of each island. More specifically, the new centre in Samos is located 7km away from the city of Vathy, the new centre in Leros is 6km from the city of Agia Marina and the centre in Kos is 15km far away from the city of Kos. Similarly, the new centre in Lesvos is being constructed in an area which is 30km from the city of Mytilene and the planned facility in Chios, is located 11km from the city of Chios.180 Conditions prevailing in the old RICs, converted into CCACs, namely the existing structures in Lesvos and Chios have not improved and people continue to be hosted in degrading conditions. In the former Reception and Identification Centre (RIC) of Vial, renamed as “CCAC” in Chios, the conditions remain substandard. During 2023, the accommodation facilities were substandard and in need of maintenance and constant disinfections due to cockroaches, the food was of poor quality, and there was limited provision of interpretation services.181 Moreover, the medical division of the RIS had no stable presence of doctor since March 2021. As a result, the vulnerability assessment procedure has been conducted principally by the nursing staff and Doctors of Medical Units of other CCACs or the Chios General Hospital, who were visiting the Chios CCAC only to sign vulnerability assessment documents and medical cards, without carrying out a substantive assessment of the medical condition of the asylum applicants, who were not considered to meet the vulnerability criteria.182 Similarly, the former RIC in Lesvos, which has been converted into CCAC, remains completely inadequate due to extreme weather conditions prevailing, inaccessible and poor sanitation facilities, shortages of hot water, constant power cuts, poor quality of food and the increase in security incidents -including GBV incidents- despite significant police surveillance. Since mid- May 2023, food distribution by the RIS of Lesvos has been interrupted for recognized refugees and rejected applicants,183 despite the explicit call of the EU Commissioner of Home Affairs to the Greek Authorities to ensure all persons, irrespective of their status, receive basic means of subsistence, notably, food and hygiene products.184 During 2023, the medical and psychosocial division of the RIS in Lesvos has been understaffed, fact which- amongst others- affected the quality of the 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 ΤaΝea, Council of State: Invalid licensing of a structure in Plati – Vastria, Lesvos, 9 August 2023, available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/mpvj7xcv. LesvosNews.Net, Τι θα γίνει τελικά με την Βάστρια; Ι απαντά ο Υπουργός, 19 October 2023, available in greek at: https://tinyurl.com/sn4snjn5. Ert News, Chios: Discontinuation of the hearing for the New Structure in Τholos, 20 September 2023, available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/3x2w8sxy. RSA, What is happening today in the refugee structures on the Aegean islands, available at https://tinyurl.com/bdpc6byj RSA, Chios: What is happening today in the refugee structures on the Aegean islands, May 2023, available at: https://tinyurl.com/mnrvnyyh. Ibid. Joint CSO letter, Forced food insecurity at the Lesvos Closed Controlled Access Centre,15 June 2023, available at: https://tinyurl.com/27n8k379. Observatory of the Refugee and Migration Crisis in the Aegean, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ms. Ylva Johansson, issued a robust response to a joint open letter by organisations working in Greece, 15 December 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/3PUmiTN. 52