reception standards and qualified staffing. For the transition period a solution should be found. If other places for temporary residence are not available, the Greek authorities should (without delay) upgrade the old centre through the provision of more and qualified staff, better cleaning, sufficient beds, bathroom facilities etc. 5. Implementing the obligations given by the Procedures and Reception directives under EU law must be ensured without exception or delay. In this regard, the recent relevant decision of the European Court must be examined and complied with. 6. It is apparent that sufficient and qualified/specialised staffing is a problem throughout Greece. Too little resources are (or are made) available. The lack of lawyers (free of charge), interpreters, medical staff, social workers, psychologists and specialised police forces cannot be ignored. 7. The Greek authorities should clarify whether the 4th protocol to the convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms has been ratified by Greece. If not, further explanation is needed as to why it has not been ratified. Obviously, the ratification process should be finalised immediately. 8. The return of people to Turkey, without hearing and registering them, is a source of great concern. The Greek authorities should investigate it and verify if these practices fit within the framework of international conventions and agreements. 9. More generally, if one is ordered to leave the country it is unclear whether the order is executed and whether people indeed do return to their country of origin. It seems that irregular migrants that are (following an expulsion order) left to find their own way home do abscond in most cases, leading to illegal presence of large numbers on Greek territory and further irregular transit to other EU countries. 10. The Greek authorities stated that Greece has received no EU funding. The European Commission should explain whether or not the Refugee Fund works (at least in part) an a per country basis. The Greek authorities, on their part, should explain whether applications have been made. And if they have received nothing, why not? 11. The refugee protection figures are extremely low. The Greek authorities should better explain why, particularly for groups such as Iraqi refugees who routinely receive protection in other EU countries. Furthermore the Greek authorities should seek an immediate solution for the estimated backlog of unprocessed appeals (11.000) and one which ensures that these claims are assessed fully in accordance with Greece’s obligations under international and EC law. 12. Detention should be the exception rather than the rule, not vice versa. There are clear international rules outlining these exceptions. 13. Great concern exists about the detention of (unaccompanied) minors and whether any of the strict tests established to ascertain its legitimacy in exceptional cases are appropriately applied by Greek authorities. Spending all day in a cell could never be in the best interests of the child. Indeed, any detention of children is likely to be seriously detrimental to their health and welfare. Article 37, paragraph (b) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child should be respected: ‘No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the PV\675423EN.doc 11/16 PE 392.010v02-00 EN