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Greece: Lesvos Registering of NGOs, details of their workers/volunteers and independent volunteers begins 2.3.16

Greece: Lesvos Registering of NGOs, details of their workers/volunteers and independent volunteers begins 2.3.16

Tony Bunyan, Statewatch Director, comments:

"We stand by our view that this practice has no place in a democracy worthy of the name"

See: NGOs and volunteers helping refugees in Greece to be placed under state control Only in the Soviet Union and under the STASI in East Germany were NGOs expected to hand over lists and personal details of all their members/volunteers - "In particular there should be no attempts by public authorities to make NGOs effectively agencies working under their control.." (Council of Europe)

Lesvos General Coordination meeting (25.2.16): "Mr. Yiannis Yiannelis, the Secretary General for the Aegean and Island Policy answered the questions of the audience on the registration process and on the forms that are now available in both Greek and English for individual volunteers and NGOs.



He thanked the NGOs and volunteers for their efforts in assisting in the humanitarian response, while stressing the necessity to complete the registration procedure, so work and staff of NGOs or volunteers are known to the authorities."

See: Statement on the registering of NGOs and volunteers: Secretariat General for the Aegean and Island Policy Coordinating Committee (pdf):

"According to the Joint Decision of Minister of Interior Policy and Administrative Reconstruction and Minister of Marine and Island Policy (Government Gazette 114 / B/28-1-2016) a Coordination Committee has been established in order to register, coordinate and evaluate the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Voluntary Groups and independent volunteers who are active on Lesvos island.

The Committee has the following activities:



Registration, identification and accreditation of all NGOs and independent volunteers who are active on Lesvos Island in order to cope with the problems that have arisen by the refugee - migration flows.



Evaluation - accreditation of NGOs according to the submitted documents (legal documents, statutes e.t.c.).



Organization of NGOs /Volunteers’ work according to the demands of the refuge emigration flows. Only certified NGOs/Volunteers will be accepted to the Official List of Volunteers.



Classification of NGOs/Volunteers according to their type of actions, location of services provided.

Continual Coordination and inspection of NGOs and independent volunteers’ activities.



Provision of information to NGOs /Volunteers regarding their obligation to register and have their actions approved." [emphasis in original]

and the Registration forms: NGO: "Organisation Profile" form (pdf) and the volunteer "Personal Profile" form (pdf)