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A large number of these people are trying to find a job in the black labour market until they save enough money to continue their journey to a country that offers better conditions and all the time they are at risk of being extradited. Some of them become victims of exploitation and abuse, as was the case in Manolada. Others become part of criminal organizations for drug dealing and prostitution in order to survive. Entire neighbourhoods in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras and other cities of Greece have been turned into ghettos and neither the police nor the public know what is happening there.

Reception centres or camps

One of the decisions that the present Greek government had taken was the creation of regional reception centres for illegal immigrants. The measure provoked controversy in society.

"We fully understand and respect the people who want to use every legitimate opportunity to obtain a visa or right to asylum in the country. Through the reception centres, the government is trying to fight illegal immigration in order for the public peace of the citizens not to be disturbed by people who are moving illegally within the country. The centres receive the illegal immigrants to consider their case separately and to extradite those who are not eligible back to the countries from which they have come," Papanikolaou explains the objectives of the government.

Maybe the idea of establishing reception camps for illegal immigrants does not correspond to the conception of humanity of the average west European but Brussels has not opposed it.

Papanikolaou explains that there are three types of reception centres for immigrants. The first type includes reception centres that inform the immigrants about the procedures in the country and assesses the opportunities for acquisition of legal residence in the country.

The second type consists of open centres for temporary stay that shelter third-country nationals who want political asylum and need protection. These centres are open and the foreigners there can move freely. The third type of centres is intended for immigrants who are to be extradited back to the countries from which they have come and they stay at the closed centres until their documents are ready.

"There were a few signals that some centres are not working properly and the living conditions in them are not appropriate. These signals have been taken into account and the conditions have been improved or the centres have been closed. Four reception centres for immigrants have been closed over the past several months because of inadequate conditions. An example of this is the centre in Vena near Evros. As you can see, when the problem is serious there are inevitably difficulties. We are trying to close all centres that do not meet the conditions set by the law and in parallel, we are working with local government organizations to open reception centres for illegal immigrants in problematic regions."

The Member of the European Parliament stresses that the reception centres for immigrants are not permanent institutions. They are being opened in problematic areas and if the influx decreases or is under control, the centres are being closed. After strengthening the control in Evros, one of the main centres there has been closed. With the advent of summer, the influx of illegal immigrants by sea will increase and the government is preparing the establishment of new centres on the islands of Mitilini, Chios and Samos. "We determine the location of the reception centres for immigrants depending on the points of entrance."