ATHENS – A report indicating signs of financial mismanagement in the building of a refugee and migrant detention center in Malakasa, also alleging poor handling of Greece’s handling of some 100,000 of them was rejected by the Migration Ministry.

Officials there not named told Kathimerini – which wrote about the purported problems – that they had iday it had “no knowledge” of a report by an international organization bringing the claims, nor from the UΝ refugee agency (UNHCR), and the International Organisation for migration (IOM).

Concerning the claims made about the camp in Malakasa, the ministry said construction of a temporary facility cost 23 percent less than the current one although there was twice as much fencing and that it was built during the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

It said the cost was 2,330 euros ($2593.46) per resident, while the corresponding project under the previous Radical Left SYRIZA administration cost 3,050 euros ($3394.88) per resident.

The ministry official, not named, said that, “it is natural” that there would be different views between the ministry and international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating at refugee and migrant detention camps and centers.