In September 2020, in the aftermath of the Moria fires, the European Commission announced that a dedicated task force would be established with the ostensible purposes of “implement[ing] a joint pilot with the Greek authorities for new reception facilities” and ensuring “adequate living conditions, more certainty through faster procedures and more balanced responsibility-sharing and solidarity.” Far from these stated objectives, the reality in Lesvos and on the other Aegean islands has been the extension of the European Union’s existing hotspot approach through the knowing creation and perpetuation of inhumane living conditions into effective prison camps and the continued sacrifice of fundamental rights to expedited and summary asylum procedures.
The hasty establishment of Mavrovouni Temporary Reception and Identification Centre (TRIC) in October 2020 – on land that was leased for five years, calling in to question the camp’s alleged temporariness (see here, here, and here) – has, since then, given way to constant construction works, despite knowledge that the site is contaminated with lead and therefore poses an acute health risk to all contained there.