Thousands of refugees and migrants exposed to lead at the Kara Tepe Reception and Identification Centre

Question for written answer  E-001147/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Kostas Papadakis (NI)

More than 7 000 refugees are being held in appalling conditions at the Mavrovouni / Kara Tepe Reception and Identification Centre in Lesbos, under the responsibility of the EU and the Greek Government.

Since the decision to move the Reception and Identification Centre, which is now on the site of a former military firing range, there have been complaints about the levels of lead. The fact that the ministry responsible admitted that an investigation into the levels of lead was commissioned on 24 November 2020, in agreement with the European Commission, proves that this investigation had already begun once thousands of people had been transferred to the site. There are also claims that the site has been given a clean bill of health to support EU and Greek Government policies.

According to the WHO, no level of exposure to lead is considered harmless, especially when infants, toddlers and pregnant women are involved.

In the light of the above:

• 1.What is the Commission’s view of the fact that thousands of refugees and migrants, including young children and pregnant women, are being exposed to dangerous levels of lead? How does it view the need for urgent action to determine the state of health of everyone at the camp?
• 2.What is the Commission’s view of the request to close the Kara Tepe camp and camps on other Greek islands immediately, to transfer recognised refugees to their countries of destination immediately, and to transfer all refugees to the mainland so that they may be issued with travel documents in order to be able to continue to their countries of destination and apply for asylum there?