The administration’s decision to evict these families was based on a law that gives recognized refugees the right to prolong their stay in the CCAC for up to 30 days following the delivery of the positive decision on their asylum application. This decision, however, did not take into account the long administrative delays in the issuing of the refugees’ residence permits, the fact that without a residence permit refugees cannot earn a living, receive allowances or be referred to housing programs, and, most importantly, the vulnerability status of the individuals concerned which must be taken into account according to the exact same law.

Following a relevant complaint by Equal Rights Beyond Borders, the Greek Ombudsman has requested the readmission of the two vulnerable families into the Kos CCAC for as long as they await the issuing of their residence permit.

The Ombudsman has further requested both the Regional Asylum Office (RAO) and the Kos Police Directorate to take the necessary steps to speed up the process of the issuing of the residence permits, as well as called the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection to intervene in the context of its responsibilities.

While one of the two families just received the expected documents and left the island of Kos, the situation for an extremely vulnerable separated child and his adult brother has stayed the same. Until today, no measures have been taken to ensure their housing despite the Ombudsman’s request; as such, the two remain homeless, exposed to high temperatures and a multitude of hazards.

The above families are two of the many that the Kos office of Equal Rights has represented in recent months. Our organization has been documenting for months what is by now an established practice of the CCAC administration that exposes recognized refugees, even those with serious vulnerabilities to homelessness, on such a touristic island, with non-existent accommodation available for rent, especially during the summer period,  leaving people completely helpless.

Contact: kos@equal-rights.org
Find the Press Release here.