Greece anticipates that the European Union’s latest migration pact will not be effective in the short term. The Greek Minister of Migration is advocating for stricter measures, mirroring those already in place within Greece, where individuals found to be illegally present can be detained for up to five years.
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Thanos Plevris, Greece’s Minister of Migration and Asylum, stated that anyone entering Greece without a right to asylum will be immediately detained. According to Plevris, Greece currently operates thirty reception centers, half of which are being converted into detention centers.
The new EU pact requires Greece to screen all newly arrived migrants within one week. Individuals from safe countries will be held in reception centers while awaiting deportation, while others will enter the regular asylum procedure.
Plevris, described as a hardliner, intends to implement measures exceeding the requirements of the new regulations. During a potential migration crisis, groups of migrants from safe countries will be barred from seeking asylum, and some reception centers will be converted into detention camps. “We hold them in detention and send them back,” he stated.
Human rights organizations express concern over insufficient protection for genuine refugees and fear that the new EU pact will encourage arbitrary detention, even of children.
Lefteris Papagiannakis, director of the Greek Refugee Council, explained that Greece aims to deter migration through its detention policies, stating, “With these extremely poor conditions for migrants, we say: do not arrive to Greece or Europe, because if you do not get asylum, you will be imprisoned.”
The EU pact stipulates that, if migrants enter the regular asylum procedure, they must then be distributed across EU member states. EU countries are collectively obligated to resettle at least 30,000 asylum seekers annually, but can opt out by paying 20,000 euros per migrant into a fund supporting EU countries receiving a large number of asylum seekers. There is concern that many countries will prefer to pay the fee rather than accept asylum seekers.
A fundamental issue remains unresolved two months before the migration pact takes effect: what will happen to individuals who are detained but whose countries of origin refuse to accept them back?
Many countries are pinning their hopes on so-called return hubs, where migrants denied asylum would be sent to countries in Africa or Asia where they have never been. While this plan has been widely announced, no concrete arrangements have been made. The Netherlands, according to Minister Bart van den Brink, intends to take the lead on this initiative, but it remains in an “exploratory phase.”
Plevris stated, “Every country wants to consult with third countries. At the moment, there are no substantive discussions. We are actually only just beginning this initiative.”
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Greece anticipates significant challenges in the event of a new refugee crisis, as it is one of the first countries of arrival. Plevris stated, “If migration takes on such proportions tomorrow that countries on the front line can no longer cope, then all of Europe will come under heavy pressure.”
Papagiannakis of the Refugee Council added, “EU countries will not be able to cope with that crisis. Not even with the story created that everything will be fine with the new migration pact.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Greece doing to prepare for the new EU migration pact?
Greece is converting half of its thirty reception centers into detention centers, intending to detain anyone entering the country without a right to asylum.
What does the new EU migration pact entail?
The pact aims to harmonize asylum rules across all EU member states, including shorter asylum procedures at the EU’s external borders, differentiation between likely and unlikely asylum seekers, and mutual recognition of asylum decisions.
What concerns have been raised regarding the new EU migration pact?
Human rights organizations fear insufficient protection for genuine refugees and the potential for arbitrary detention, while concerns exist that EU countries may opt to pay a fee rather than resettle asylum seekers.
As the EU prepares to implement these new policies, what impact will they have on both migrants seeking refuge and the member states tasked with managing the influx?
