44 THE GREEK OMBUDSMAN 25 square metres space, with the floor almost fully covered by mattresses without sheets, was indicative. Apart from specialized hostels, in Northern Greece there already are “safe spaces” for unaccompanied minors within camps at Diavata, Kavala and Alexandreia, with a total capacity of 90 spots. It is considered necessary that similar spaces are created in other camps as well, in order to ensure those children’s rights more effectively, until they can be placed in hostels. Some crucial issues arose during inspection, such as the need to initiate appropriate procedures for age evaluation, so that minors are not detained together with adults, as well as measures for covering the needs of adolescents with mental disorders and children on the verge of adulthood. As a follow-up of this inspection, the Greek Ombudsman issued a press-release1 in which it pointed out once more that holding unaccompanied minors in detention spaces such as police stations and pre-removal centres constitutes a major violation of their rights and poses their sound development under direct danger. The Authority has repeatedly and consistently stressed the position –arising from the Convention on the Rights of the Child (L. 2101/1992), as well as from the general legal frame on children’s protection‑ that protection of unaccompanied minors is a legally binding obligation for the State and detention may in no way be a valid and lawful choice of fulfilling this obligation. The position that detention of children solely on the basis of their migration status constitutes a violation of their rights, and always contravenes the principle of the best interest of the child, was pointed out once more by the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC) in its Regional Meeting which took place in Athens (13.11.2017). The recommendations prepared included that children must be protected, including through non-custodial solutions established by law, safeguarding their right to liberty at all times. ⚫ PRE-REMOVAL CENTRES FOR THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS General annual findings The Greek Ombudsman’s on-site inspections of Pre-removal Centres for Third Country Nationals are carried out under two of its concurring competencies, namely the one as a National Preventive Mechanism against Torture (L. 4228/2014) and the one of external monitoring of forced returns of third country nationals (L. 3907/2011). Findings and observations pursuant the 1. https://www.synigoros.gr/?i=childrens-rights.el.dpnews.445808