European Reintegration Networking

Repatriation Survey Greece

November 2002

Greek European Action Group of Social Policy
Epirou St. 8
GR-10433 Athens
Tel: 0030-010-8212568
Fax: 0030-010-8229044
eurosocialpol@ath.forthnet.gr 

Verfasser/in:  Alexandra Kostoula

Greece, as you know, for the first time and suddenly, over the past ten years, received gradually a big wave of emigrants. It has been calculated that there is about 1.000.000 emigrants in the country. Since 1980, the applications of 7000 asylum seekers were accepted. Among them, persons from “Ex East Countries” are included. Also, among them, 621 persons are from Iraq. There are 6.500 applications for asylum that are still suspense. A big number of the above mentioned emigrants came from Albania, due to the known reasons that the Albanian State faced and of course because of the easy passage to our country. Another significant number of emigrants came from other Balkan countries such as Romania, Bulgaria etc. as well as from Poland, Russia, Ukraine etc. and from Asian countries e.g. India, Pakistan and from African countries e.g. Egypt, Nigeria. A big number of Kurds came into the country. Kurds that stay in Greece are about 5.000. In personal level Kurds are not considered as refugees but they stay in Greece under protection for humanitarian reasons. We could argue that this big wave of emigrants shocked our country, because Greece never in the past had an experience of dealing with emigration, in contrast to other European countries, among which the Mediterranean countries that are represented in our Workshop. Therefore, it was expected that Greece needed a time frame to develop policies of emigration and integration of emigrants. The big number of emigrants created significant social problems in Greece among which criminality. Greece responded rapidly and developed policies of integration, taking different measures such as voting two laws that legalized a big number of emigrants, and gave them permission to stay in the country. Greek legislation related to emigrants: Law no 2910 / 2001. Greek legislation related to asylum seekers : Presidential Decree no 61 / 1999.

Moreover, a temporary permission to stay in the country was given to refugees, until their asylum application would be processed. This asylum application process is very slow, but this as you know is a more general problem amongst policies in the European Union, but currently there is a dialogue about this issue.

Furthermore, our country developed special schools for each emigrant community, access of their children to the Greek education system and developed policies of multi-cultural approach, in order to facilitate the integration of emigrants and refugees. The Greek State plans an active role in integration but other agencies such as NGO’s play a leading role. Also, the Greek Orthodox Church of Greece has a significant role in re-integration . Among NGO’s are “Greek Council for Refugees”, “EuroSocialPol”, “IOM” Greece, “Social Work Foundation”, “Doctors without Borders”, “Doctors of the World”. The Greek State, the European Union and the High Commission for Refugees are financing re-integration  programs for refugees and emigrants.

It is quite well established that Greece does not have the financial means like other European countries to apply a very sophisticated integration system.

There is of course financial aid from the European Union, but unfortunately this is not sufficient, due to the fact that Greece received a vast number (1.000.000) of emigrants and refugees, taking into account that the local population is 10.000.000. Generally speaking, we could argue, that the integration process has significantly been developed.

A certain measure, that according to our opinion would assist the policies of emigration, would be the creation of an autonomous unit, perhaps like a General Secretariat, that would co-ordinate all the emigration related issues.

According to the above mentioned, the integration process in Greece goes well, but unfortunately for the voluntary repatriation or re-integration in the countries of origins, there are no state policies.

Certain non-governmental organizations have dealt with this subject but not systematically, due to the lack of financial aid from the State. During the period of 1999 - 2000 10 persons went back voluntarily to their country of origin, that is to Poland and Bugladesh. Also, 19 persons went to another country different from their country of origin voluntarily, this means that 14 persons from Iraq and 5 persons from Congo went to the United States and Canada. During 2001 no person went back voluntarily to their country of origin. For 2002, we have not yet total feagures.

Our organization is working on the subject of re-integration because we believe in the principles.

But unfortunately, we are limited in our efforts due to lack of funding. According to our experience, it is worth developing policies for the re-integration of refugees and emigrants to their countries because it is well established that they do indeed wish to return to their countries due to sentimental reasons provided this is feasible.

Concerning the re-integration of refugees back in their countries, the reasons that forced them to leave their countries have to be lifted, in order to further discuss their re-integration.

According to the experience and knowledge of our organization that arises from applied projects of counseling and information on various subjects, such as political situation in the country of origin, legal issues in family law, in penal law, in industrial relations issues, in social security issues, we reached the conclusion that a certain number of emigrants could return to their country of origin provided it was given to them a certain amount of money that would assist them in their efforts to be self-employed. Another option for emigrants would be to receive professional training in Greece, and then apply their acquired knowledge and skills in order to find a job in their country.

Another issue that would facilitate the re-integration is that it would help if the children of emigrants would learn their mother tongue, so that they could positively be integrated upon return to their country.

Other significant parameter that is very important for Greece, is that there is no agreement between Greece and other countries about  social security rights of emigrants. This means that upon return to their country, all pension rights would not be recognized.

The policy of re-integration and voluntary repatriation, requires financial means, that constitute the most important incentive.

All the above mentioned were opinions - thoughts that were discussed in an one-day workshop that we organized in Athens, two years ago, with the active participation of refugee and emigrant societies and community representatives in Greece.

If it will be decided to develop policies of repatriation, and to provide financial aid, it is absolutely necessary to monitor the progress of emigrants back in their countries for a certain period of time and to protect them and assist them. Unfortunately, in Greece we have not developed projects affecting the countries of origin mainly because of the lack of financing.

Of course this approach requires protection mechanism in order not to be abused. We mean that the system has to be protected so that the financial aid to the emigrants would be entirely used for the purposes it was provided.

Especially for Greece, that receives many emigrants from neighboring countries, this is a significant issue, because of the danger of leaving and returning to country easily.

In conclusion, we believe, that the policy of emigrants should develop in parallel, but with the same emphasis in two axons:

In effective policies of integration in the countries of emigration.

In strong incentives, mainly financial, that would create tendencies of voluntary re-integration in the countries of origin, provided the major issues would be resolved, that make impossible the re-integration which is the major issue of refugees and not of emigration due to economical reasons.

In order to achieve this goal we need money. Greece, although has a great number of emigrants and refugees, does not receive the appropriate financing from the European Union and other Organizations, in comparison with other european countries.

We can suggest as a political recommendation the need for a reform defining the minimum voluntary repatriation standards and the creation of a common european system based on the rights and duties of voluntary repatriation.