The Greek government has announced the establishment of a new migrant and refugee hosting centre in Thebes, central Greece, with a capacity to host up to 700 people.
Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas visited the location on Tuesday and noted that refugees and migrants would be able to live there in conditions of dignity.
"The centre is the result of a huge effort we are making," he added, noting that the effort to move from tents to small huts was underway in other camps as well.
The former Sakiroglou textile mill will be reconverted to the new facility and all works to adapting it to its new function were organised by the International Organisation for Migration with funding from DG ECHO, while Greece's national defence ministry arranged for the lease of the property using emergency European funds.
The first refugees to be hosted in three or four weeks, while IOM will undertake to support its operation and Medecins du Monde will supply a pathologist, gynaecologist and dentist for the centre surgeries and a clinic.
The centre will have 65 apartments for eight people and roughly the same number of housing units in huts set up within the grounds. Each will have two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room and some will have their own bathroom. The centre will also have areas for educational purposes, a room suitable for women, a counselling area and 60 toilets and showers.
Questioned about Turkey's threat to "re-examine" the EU-Turkey deal on migrant flows, Mouzalas stressed that the government was working toward the deal and supported the deal, "which is being observed up to this point."
Mouzalas was accompanied on his visit by IOM Deputy Director General Laura Thompson, the head of IOM Greece Daniel Esdras, SYRIZA MP Nikos Thiveos and local authority officials.
