they do not have sufficient food or fresh water and are constantly hungry. There is also insufficient running water. Distribution of non-food items is slow or non-existent for new arrivals, leaving most new arrivals without proper shoes and only the clothing they arrived with to Lesvos (for more, see Conditions on the Eastern Aegean islands). Medical access is also severely limited. Newly arrived people have reported that they have been denied medical and psychological care by EODY, due to their lack of documentation in Greece, including persons with chronic medical issues. The vulnerability assessments are also delayed.’234 In Lesvos, until late May 2023, people arriving at the Northern side of the islands were transferred to the Controlled Temporary Accommodation Facility for asylum seekers of West Lesvos where they remained confined until their transfer to the CCAC of Mavrovouni for registration. As stated already, 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. It is noteworthy that the Administrator has been the only administrative staff in the facility. 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.235 Newly arrived asylum seekers remained there for days, in some cases for more than two weeks in dire conditions, waiting 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. Medical screening and NFIs were provided twice per week by MsF.236 Since late May 2023, all newcomers were transferred upon arrival directly to CCAC of Mavrovouni regardless of their entry point.237 According to testimonies of applicants collected by the Greek Council for Refugees, in Kos, newcomers’ freedom of movement used to be restricted to the premises of the old PRDC that were previously used for Covid-19 quarantine awaiting their registration and transfer to the designated accommodation sectors. As the arrivals increased since summer 2023, the population was also confined in other subsections of the old PRDC, in deplorable conditions, sleeping in destroyed containers, without adequate water, electricity, air conditioning, heating, mattresses and with leaking drains. During November and December 2023, communal areas, such as the restaurant of the new PRDC were also used as accommodation areas. According to testimonies, even after their registration, applicants who resided in the sections of PRDC were facing difficulties exiting freely the sections, despite holding an asylum seekers card. Newly arrived persons de facto detained had very limited access to services, including medical support. In many cases, applicants with non-communicable chronic diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular conditions remained undetected or with very poor access to medical treatment even for several weeks after arrival, due to delays in registration procedures, de facto detention practices and the understaffing of health services in the CCAC. Despite efforts by RIS to separate single women, vulnerable persons and families from the rest of the population, this became extremely difficult since autumn 2023, due to the overpopulation of the CCAC. Lastly, there are growing concerns regarding the provision of Reception and Identification services at entry points deprived of Reception facilities and services, until the transfer of the newcomers in RICs and CCACs. Even in Rhodes, Gavdos and Crete, where there is a steady flow of arrivals, there is no provision for the satisfaction of not even the most basic needs of the people arriving with regard to respect for human dignity until their transfer. As a result, access for new arrivals to fundamental rights such as housing, food and health care, an obligation and responsibility of the central administration, is left to the discretion of local authorities and civil society. In many cases, newcomers are transferred directly to PRDCs where they remain detained and as a result they are not subject at all to Reception and Identification Procedures, in contravention with what the Law provides. Following an intervention made before the Greek Ombudsman for such cases, the latter requested the Greek Authorities ‘to consider 234 235 236 237 Ibid. GCR, News from the field, 1 May 2023, available at https://tinyurl.com/3us999zx. MSF, Pushbacks, detention and violence towards migrants on Lesbos, Press Release, 25 May 2023, available at: https://tinyurl.com/htk996p2. GCR, News from the field, 1 May 2023, available in Greek at https://tinyurl.com/3us999zx. 60