The handover ceremony was held for the transfer of Skaramagas Hospitality Facility from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum to Hellenic Public Properties Company (HPPC) S.A.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister for Migration and Asylum, Mr. Notis Mitarachi, the CEO of Hellenic Public Properties Company SA, Mr. Stefanos D. Vlastos, the shipowner and investor in the area where the old structure is situated, Mr. George Prokopiou, the SG for Reception of Asylum Seekers, Mr. Manos Logothetis, the Secretary General for Economic Policy, Mr. Nikolaos Koulocheris and the Governor of the Reception and Identification Service, Mr. Tassos Mantagaris.
After the ceremony, the Minister for Migration and Asylum, Mr. Notis Mitarachi, stated:
“The Government is consistently implementing its commitments. We have regained control over Immigration. Out of 121 facilities that were operating in our country, 34 remain. Today, we are handing the Skaramagas hospitality facility over to HPPC, laying the foundations for an emblematic investment for both the local community and the Greek economy.”
The CEO of the Hellenic Public Properties Company SA, Mr. Stefanos D. Vlastos, made the following statement:
“Today, a few months after the tender for the Skaramagas Shipyards was awarded and in line with the original timetable, the area that hosted the Skaramagas Facility is being handed over to us from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. We would like to thank the Minister for Migration and Asylum for their cooperation and for achieving the goal we had set for this area to be returned to HPPC in good time.
Today we are taking an important step towards the second phase of the sale of the wider area to the highest bidder in our tender, one of the country’s leading investors, Mr. Georgios Prokopiou. Mr Prokopiou will regenerate an important part of the Greek infrastructure for the benefit of the local community and the economy by investing a significant amount of capital. We hope that everyone will understand this, so that this emblematic investment for the region and the country can proceed.”
Mr. Prokopiou made the following statement:
“This government is keeping to its promises and to its timetables, I am impressed that it is on time and is giving us the opportunity to make our dreams come true. This is a strategic investment that we all need to see from this point of view. I hope that everyone realises this and that they do not begin to put the brakes on it constantly.”
It should be noted that the Skaramagas Hospitality Facility began operating in May 2016, due to the then urgent need for open accommodation structures to be created in order to prevent public spaces being converted into makeshift camps.
The evacuation of the facility began on Monday, April 9 and was completed on September 5, 2021. A total of 2,631 residents were relocated, having left voluntarily, been moved to other Facilities, or included in the ESTIA programme.