Small Greek island off Crete receives refugee funding

Gavdos is the smallest municipality in Greece and currently has no facilities for the reception and processing of asylum seekers.

That may not be the case for much longer.

Dimitris Kairides, Greece’s minister of immigration and asylum, announced the Gavdos municipality will receive 120,000 euros for the “supply of a boat, engine, fuel for the transport of waste, supply of pharmaceuticals and essential items for the reception and short stay of immigrants on Gavdos.”

New government funds made aid possible

The funding is part of a fresh injection of some 2.3 million euros from the Greek ministry’s Solidarity Fund for a range of projects on several Greek islands.

Despite an overall reduction in the flows of asylum seekers and migrants trying to reach Greece over the last 12 months, this year has seen an increased spike in trafficker attempts to push the longer and more dangerous journey from Libya to Italy, which passes by Crete.

This has led to a sharp increase in the number of vessels in distress off Greece. Greek government estimates suggest that the first three months of 2024 saw some 1,500 arrivals by sea from Egypt to Gavdos.

The majority of these migrants were reportedly Egyptian men, although a small percentage reported Bangladeshi or Pakistani citizenship.

Five island municipalities to receive funds

Other island municipalities slated to receive funds include Mytilini on Lesvos, Eastern and Western Samos and Leros for various projects and equipment, following proposals that they submitted to cover local needs.