Akel has called for the resignation of Interior Minister Nicos Nouris following a report which slams the “appalling” conditions faced by unaccompanied minors at the Pournara migrant reception centre.
Main opposition party Akel called on the minister to resign after the children’s rights commissioner Despo Michaelidou observed that there has been no substantial improvement for the children despite millions of euros of investment by the EU. An urgent House human rights committee has been called to discuss the issue on Monday.
After a visit to the camp on Wednesday, Michaelidou stated that there are about 15 children per room, usually sharing beds, while others sleep on the floor – with about 300 people forced to share two toilets and a single shower. She also cited complaints that breakfasts consisted of little more than pieces of bread.
Akel noted that the EU provided four million euros to address the crisis while another three million euros were granted over the past two years for the creation of a centre for minors.
“We call on the authorities to act immediately to end the situation gripping Pournara which offends anyone who considers themselves to be human,” Marina Savva of Akel said on Thursday.
Michaelidou’s report followed a protest by 30 unaccompanied minors over living conditions on the street outside the centre, very close to the motorway.
She said on Thursday that there are still 30 or so minors refusing to stay in their allocated accommodation. She further stated that the interior minister does not appear to be cooperating or responding to requests made by her and her office, saying that he is not responding to her phone calls.
Akel MP Irene Charalambides said that an urgent house human rights committee has been call for Monday to address the issues at Pournara.
Akel later said it planned to send a team to visit Pournara on Friday at 10:30am, headed by MP Aristos Damianou.
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