EU Commissioner: Humanitarian Aid to Greece “may take still a couple of weeks”

“We as a team, we are ready to help and support Greece,” European Union Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Christos Stylianides assured reporters in Athens on Friday and tweeted that “Greece is not alone in these difficult times”. Stylianides came to Greek capital and had a meeting with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to talk about the Humanitarian Aid worth millions of euro we hear but we do not see. Reason for this is the complicated and bureaucratic mechanism, the 100+1 approvals and 1000+1 signatures needed.

This morning I saw Stylianidies telling Tsipras that “The disbursement may take a couple of weeks.” A couple of more weeks, that is. Among others it is the European Parliament that has to approve the aid.

But it is  good to know that at least “‘the process for the implementation of the decision to allocate 700 million euro humanitarian assistance to EU member states affected by the Refugee Crisis in order to secure descent living conditions for the refugees has been initiated.” The European Commission approved a couple of weeks ago 700 million euro that will be given primarily to non-governmental organizations and international agencies like the UNHCR. However, no NGO can establish camps for the refugees. This solely depends of the Greek state mechanism.

Dozens of hands raised to catch a food can distributed from a truck

According to Athens News Agency, until the money will indeed arrive, EU Commissioner for Migration, Dimitris Avrmopoulos, has ordered the transfer of 100 million euro from ECfMigration budget for Greece.

According to EU sources, 510 million euro for the Greek national programs is always available for the Greek government, and should immediately start to be absorbed. But can Greece use funds for national programs – among them social programs for the impoverished Greeks – for the refugees?

At the same time, “all requests submitted by Greece for urgent funding of 40 million euro, funding related to migration have been approved according to priority criteria.

In addition, EU’s Home Affairs Commissioner for Immigration and Citizenship has approved 100 million euro for UNHCR and IOM to directly support Greece in  addressing the immigration crisis.

The UNHCR has already started to rent private apartments for refugee families. What the International organization for Migration does with the funds… I have no idea.

Meanwhile, the Greek Air Force prepares 3 meals per day for the 3,000 refugees in Ellinikon in Athens. I suppose, the cost is covered by the Greek Defense Ministry budget.

PS the point is: “money” we hear, “funds approved” we read but “not a euro we see”. Until the euro millions reach the countries, the NGOs or whoever else eligible,

the refugees will continue to struggle for a food can or a hard boiled egg and give birth in tents.